Monrovia – Murphy Oscar Dorley and Mohammed Sangare scored a goal each in the first half to beat Djibouti 2-0 away from home in the African Cup of Nations preliminaries qualifier and move closer to booking a spot in the group stage of the 2025 AFON qualifier. The match took place on Wednesday in Marrakech, Morocco.
By Christopher C Walker
A win against Djibouti on the 16th of March in the second leg in Monrovia will see Mario Marinica’s team advance to the group stage of the qualifiers.
Liberia went into the match with a dominant local-based lineup but started the game slowly, allowing the home side to take control. However, the home team couldn’t breach the Lone Star’s defense.
The new-look Lone Star team displayed discipline in their approach to the game and opened the scoring from the penalty spot. Livingston midfielder Mohammed Sangare converted the penalty to give Liberia the lead.
Just before halftime, new Lone Star captain Murphy Oscar Dorley doubled the lead with an excellent finish after a cross from the left side of the attack.
Liberia protected their lead throughout the first half, while Djibouti pushed for a goal but couldn’t find a breakthrough due to Liberia’s solid defense.
After the interval, Djibouti intensified their efforts to equalize and dominated possession, restricting Liberia’s opportunities. However, Marinica’s side defended compactly and secured all three points in his first game as Lone Star Coach.
Abdulial Koulibaly, who replaced Tommy Songo in goal for Liberia, put up a strong performance on his return to the national team, making several crucial saves and providing commendable instructions to his teammates.
The winners of the tie will be paired in the qualifiers group, pending confirmation from African football authorities. The second leg will be played on March 26, 2024, in Monrovia, with the aggregate winner qualifying for the group stage.
Wednesday’s victory marked Liberia’s first win since defeating the Central African Republic in the World Cup qualifiers under coach Peter Butler.
