Monrovia – The Lone Star of Liberia will host Sao Tome and Principe at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex today, March 24 in a crucial Group H World Cup qualifying match.
By Christopher C. Walker, [email protected]
The encounter is a must-win for Liberia’s interim coach, Thomas Kojo, who is looking to secure a victory after the team’s narrow 1-0 defeat to Tunisia on March 19.
This loss left Liberia third in Group H, and a win against bottom-placed Sao Tome and Principe could boost their chances of advancing in the qualifiers.
Liberia had a disappointing African Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign, finishing last in Group E with just 4 points from 6 matches.
This marked the tenth consecutive time the Lone Star failed to qualify for the tournament, their last appearance in the AFCON finals dating back to 2002. Despite the setback, Liberia now shift focus to the World Cup qualifiers.
Sao Tome and Principe, who are yet to register a point in the qualifiers, have struggled defensively, including a 2-0 defeat to Equatorial Guinea in their most recent match.
Liberia, despite lacking an attacking threat in their recent match against Tunisia, will need to be clinical to secure three points against Sao Tome and Principe.
This will be Liberia’s second meeting with Sao Tome and Principe in the World Cup qualifiers. In the first leg, Liberia won 1-0 away and will aim to replicate that result at home in what is expected to be a tightly contested match.