Monrovia – If one feels that retirement means quitting from one’s former occupation, this is not the case with football legend George Manneh Weah, who on Thursday, January 30, scored a 40-yard stunner against County Sports Meet Champions, Grand Kru in a 3-2 victory.
President Weah’s appearance along with some of his former teammates, who participated in the 1996 and 2002 African Cup of Nations in South Africa and Mali respectively, turned the Antoinette Tubman Stadium in a scene of cheers against Grand Kru. Two teammates of the 1996 squad, Dionysius “Dion” Sebwe and Jonathan Sogbie (Boye Charles) who had a bitter-sweet relationship with Weah during his glory days were united on the pitch in a match that becoming a traditional occurrence lately. Bomi County came out against the former Lone Star players last year after they won the title, but this time around, Grand Kru County which won the title for the fifth time in a controversial style, was presented with the opportunity to share the same pitch with their kinsman in Weah. The champions started the match on a high note and they were ahead early on through Adolphus Torbor, who beat goalkeeper Joe Nagbe. But the former Lone Star players, who guided Liberia to two Nations Cup finals, rejuvenated after going a goal down with some classic displayed.
Oliver Makor and Prince Daye showed some brilliant attacking prowess, while Weah displayed an act of genius in the middle of the park as his passes exposed the Grand Kru defense. The Liberian Leader’s touches on the ball were greeted with cheers by the supporters who put the bitterness of politics behind them to watch a game that unite ‘enemies’. Weah showed tremendous maturity and experience against those youngsters who might have felt proud to play on the same pitch with him. Weah, a Ballon d’Or winner, side came close to levelling proceedings but Isaac Tondo’s effort was brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Rufus Gayflor. Tondo then made amend as he fired from a close range effort from Daye’s outswing cross to level the score. Grand Kru County might not understand the script as they regained the lead through Kokowleh Nimely. The forward smashed McCarthy Wesseh’s low cross in the far right corner of Nagbe’s goal. The former Lone Star players came back from the interval with the introduction of James Koko Nimely, who found the equalizer after he received a brilliant pass from Kelvin Sebwe, whose big brother Dion was in the center of defense. Weah, with age against him and an approximately 4.5 million people to think about daily, still had that magnetic touch as he produced diagonal pass for Thomas Kojo on the right flank. Then came the moment of magic that stole the headlines. Weah, from over 35 yards out, watched the position of substitute goalkeeper Humphrey Grugbaye off his line, created a little space from the player close to him and strike in a ferocious stunner to win the game for the side he played for over two decades.