MONROVIA — Liberia’s U-20 national team has been handed a demanding assignment after being officially drawn into Group A of the upcoming 2027 WAFU-A U-20 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in Bamako, Mali.

By: Christopher C. Walker, christopher.c.walker@frontpageafricaonline.com

The young Lone Star will square off against tournament hosts Mali, Guinea, and The Gambia a formidable group bringing together four West African nations boasting historically competitive youth football structures.

A High-Stakes Group Stage

Liberia is scheduled to kick off its campaign against The Gambia, a crucial opening fixture as the team seeks to build early momentum before facing heavier tests against Guinea and the host nation, Mali.

Both Mali and Guinea have consistently developed robust youth academies that pipeline elite talent directly into professional European leagues and senior national setups.

Meanwhile, The Gambia remains a powerhouse in West African youth football, ensuring that every match in Group A will push the young Lone Star to its absolute limit.

Beyond fighting for a slot on the continental stage, the regional tournament serves as a crucial incubator for a rising generation of Liberian footballers to showcase their talents internationally and gain professional exposure.

Preparing for the Bamako Battle

With a difficult road ahead, the Liberia Football Association (LFA) is expected to ramp up technical preparations and domestic screening to ensure the squad is physically and tactically conditioned for the rigors of playing away in Bamako.

Discipline, tactical organization, and clinical execution under pressure will be vital if Liberia hopes to navigate Group A, outpace its regional rivals, and secure qualification for the 2027 U-20 AFCON finals.

Monrovia -Ahead of Senior National Team of Liberia match with Djibouti, Chief Patron of Sports Joseph Nyuma Boakai has constituted a thirty-two-man Presidential steering committee named and styled, Presidential Steering Committee.

By: Christopher C Walker christopherc.walker@frontpageafriaconline.com 0777898224/0886723075

The committee will be charge with the responsibility to mobilize resources to support the national team of Liberia.

According to Youth and Sports Minister Cllr. J. Cole Bangalu, the move by the Liberian leader is among other things aimed at addressing the no money syndrome which the National team has experienced over the years.

President Boakai, he stated, reassured and reaffirmed his government’s support to the national team.

“I will continue to support the national team,” he re-emphasized.

Comprising senior government officials, prominent individuals, corporations and entities as well as institutions, the media and other key stakeholders within the sector, the Presidential steering committee is Chaired by Businessman and Sports executive Floyd Tomah Sr.

 Other members include: Christopher Haynes Onanuga as member, Saku Dukuly, Member, Neto Z. Leigh, Bea Mountain Mining Company, Sheik Jalloh, Bong County Senators, Prince Moye and Johnny Kpehe as members.

Other members include: Representative Abu Kamara, Representative Bintu Massaley, Representative Dixon Seeboe, Jodi Seton,  Nyema Nyaway, Amos Tweh, Sara Beslow Nyanti, Malcolm Joseph, Trojan Kiazolu, Abraham Samukai, Senator Edwin Snowe and Businessman Fomba Trawally.

Additionally, Amin Modad, APM Terminals, Liscr , Arcelor Mittal Liberia and the Bankers Association will also serve as members while Youth and Sports Minister Cllr. J. Cole Bangalu will serve as Ex.officio to the committee.

The 32 man Presidential steering committee is expected to begin work soon in a drive to mobilize more resources for the team.

Earlier, President Boakai met with the Senior national Team at the Executive parlors on capitol Hill in Monrovia where he encouraged them to do more for the nation and its people.

Monrovia – Ahead of the national football team of Liberia upcoming world cup qualifiers at home, the government of Liberia have approved the team’s budget for the double header encounters.

Liberia will host both Malawi and Equatorial Guinea on November 17th and 20th at the Samuel K. Doe Sports Complex in Paynesville City and the matches puts huge financial responsibility on the host nation as such the Liberia Football Association and the Ministry of Youth and Sports a month ago submitted a budget of $ 238,851.00 to the Ministry of Finance and Development planning.

According the LFA the amount will cover invited professional players airfares, appearance fee for all players, accommodations and feeding for both the home team and match officials, and other game related activities.

But after weeks of running after such payment an allotment of $200.000 was approved by the Ministry of Finance leaving the Football Association with no option to accept such amount and look for the balance as the Government has election matters to take care of.

It can be recalled that in October prior to the team’s departure for their final African Cup of nations qualifier with Morocco and a friendly with Libya the LFA fought to ensure the team participate in the games, as the government delayed payment for their matches.

Liberia was on the verge of receiving a ban from the Confederation of African Football and the Federation of International Football if they failed to honor the match due to delayed government fund disbursement for fixtures.

However, the LFA took responsibility to transport the team while they waited for the government to release their payment. According to FIFA and CAF, Liberia was facing a potential ban if they didn’t honor the match. Fortunately, at the last minute, the LFA stepped in to cover the team’s travel expenses while the check for payment was being prepared.

A total of $160,000 was required for the trip, covering air tickets, accommodation, meals, and match appearance fees for players and the technical staff. Sources close to both the LFA and Ministry of Youth and Sports disclosed that despite significant financial issues in the government, a budget of $160,663 was approved by the Ministry of Youth and Sports for the national team.

Liberia faced the risk of an international football ban if they failed to honor the match, but a statement from the LFA confirmed that the team arrived safely in Casablanca Morocco, on Wednesday, October 11, 2023.

Lone Star however lost both matches 3-2 and 3-0 to Libya and Morocco a result that head coach Ansu Keita believed was not bad as his team give a good account of themselves.

The matches were used to prepared the team for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers a competition Liberia has never qualified for.

If Liberia will have to challenge for the place at the 2026 World cup than Keita and team will need to secure six points from his two matches at home.

Many Liberians believed Lone Star chances of the reaching the world will be determine from their first two matches at home.

Monrovia —  Former Liberian goalkeeper Nathaniel Sherman who was  forced to retire from football after injury has earned  his first degree after  six years in retirement.

Sherman  was among several  students who graduated  from the African Methodist Episcopal University (AMEU) on Tuesday, November 23  in Monrovia with a degree in  Management as his major and Public Administration as minor.

The former footballer’s career was cut short in 2015 after he suffered a serious eye injury walking into a glass panel at the national team hotel ahead of an African Nations Cup qualifier this September.

Sherman, 31, told The Associated Press in 2015 that the freak accident caused the glass to shatter, damaging the retina of his right eye.

 He is currently using glasses to help him see clearly after traveling to India for surgery.

“There’s a possibility that I can get back on the pitch but right now I cannot say anything in my present condition,” he said.

Prior to his unfortunate situation the short stopper was a  Sophomore student at the university of Liberia but opted to change and enter into AME University. Speaking to FrontPage Africa Sherman said he is happy to have earned  his first degree after a difficult time out of active football.

“I am happy to be receiving a degree today. I was always focused during my playing days and wanted other players to look for a career after football because football is a short term career,” he said.

When it comes to playing football and staying on top of his education, Sherman said it’s all about time management, something he thinks players need to learn.

He hopes his journey and accomplishment will help inspire other footballers to know the importance of adding education to football.

“I think the biggest thing that I will say is you can do anything you put your mind to. Because you know when I got into the university, things were not going the right way from the beginning. I mean, I would have never thought I would have gotten my first degree at this time”, he said.

 Currently Sherman is the president of BYC football and resecnet served as  goalkeeper training of the national team in Morocco.

He is also the goalkeeper coach of the under 15 and 17 national team.

Following his achievement  lots of football lovers and stakeholders extended congratulatory messages to Sherman to be focused and  secure a degree.

 Second division club Muscat FC posted on their official page “A former national team goalkeeper who had to cut short his career due to injury he sustained during national duty.

He took the courage to redirect his future; today he walked out of the walls of the AMEU with a BBA.

This is what Muscat believes in: Natheniel Sherman is a true resilient!

Congratulations to you Mr. President, we all at Muscat are very proud of your achievement and courage”

Junior Profession wrote “The family of Junior Professionals congratulates former national team goalkeeper Nathaniel Sherman on his milestone achievement. He earned a Bachelor degree in Management and Public Administration recently from the African Methodist Episcopal University (AMEU) on Camp Johnson Road. We are proud of you. Keep soaring.”

Monrovia – Former Liberia Lone Star defender and captain, Washington Blay has describes Musa Bility administration as president of the Liberia Football Association   as the worst in the history of Liberian Football.

Mr. Blay, who also captained Mighty Barrolle, speaking to reporters after the local-based national team of Liberia 2-0 defeat at hands of their counterpart Mauritania in the African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifiers , which was poorly attended at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium (ATS) in Monrovia, called on Mr. Bility to resign.

The local Lone Star performance against the Mauritanians was below standard as they lack vision, registering two real attempts during the entire 90 minutes as well as failing to cope with the intensity of their opponents, surrendering to strikes from Yaly Dellahi and Barbacar Baguili.

As a result of the home side poor performance, Musa Bility was spotted leaving the Stadium at the end of the First half to save himself from the disgrace and humiliation from Liberians.

The result gave the Mauritanian a huge advantaged ahead of the second leg clash in Nouakchott on July 22, 2017, but the former Lonestar defender blamed the LFA Boss for the team’s poor performance, attributing Lone Star defeat to the coaches and players.

 “Musa Bility is the worst president since the establishment of the Liberia Football Association because past Administrations were not given the kind of money FIFA is giving the current LFA today, FIFA is feeding all national associations in the world. Money that comes to the country for growth and development of Football cannot be seen.”

Mr. Blay stated that the LFA Boss who was excluded from the FIFA presidency after failing integrity checks should be asked to resign by football stakeholders because football is not improving in the country under Bility’s administration.

“The clubs presidents need to ask Bility to resign because he has violated the status of FIFA by failing the integrity check.”

“We trusted and gave him the position but he is using it for personal business because of his involvement in politics.” \Mr. Blay who worked as Administrative Manager of Lone Star under Bility said.

“Money that has come for the national team is been misused, the money is there to upgrade all of our teams, today I learned the players went on camp few hours to the game and they said they don’t have money.  

When the LFA start using   money from FIFA wisely the game will go forward, but I blame the coach and also the players’ but it all bow down to the administration that deals with the financial aspect because the financial aspect encourages the players, he said.”

Jaheim Tobie – Contributing Reporter

Monrovia – The government has mandated the Liberia Football Association (LFA) to cancel a planned international friendly with Libya in Tripoli on January 24.

Report by Danesius Marteh, danesius.marteh@frontpageafricaonline.com

According to Deputy Sports Minister Henry B. Yonton, Sports Minister Saah Charles N’Tow wrote LFA President Musa Bility on January 19 to register government’s objection to the match because of the security situation in Libya.

“It is not too safe to take the national [football] team to Tripoli, Libya on grounds that CAF and FIFAhave not cleared Libya of safety [to play matches at home]. As you may be aware, Libya didn’t play her World Cup or Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifying matches in Libya.

“They played it in Tunisia. And because of that, we don’t want to risk [the safety of] our team. We have informed the LFA that the government of Liberia is not in support of the LFA carrying the national team to Libya for any test match. We trust that Mr. Bility will act in keeping with the letter that was sent to him,” Yonton explained on January 19.

Libya have not played any international match at home since a 2-0 victory over Togo in a 2014 World Cup qualifier at the June 11 Stadium in Tripoli, which was watched by 40,000 persons, on June 14, 2013. 

But the match was moved from the Martyrs of February Stadium, Benina to Tripoli following security incidents in Benghazi.

Libya’s 2013 Afcon qualifier with Algeria on September 9, 2012 was ordered by CAF to be played in Morocco due to the political situation and has used Tunisia, Algeria and Egypt as home venues.  

Football is the most popular sport in Libya but the football federation was only able to hold a mini league in 2016 from May to August, two years after the civil war, preceded by political unrest, began. 

In his briefing to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on September 13, 2016, the secretary-general’s special representative for Libya said the political divisions underpinning the conflict are deepening although political space has opened and there is progress in the fight against terrorism.

Drawing attention to the challenging security situation, further illustrated by the most recent violence in the Oil Crescent area, Martin Kobler called for an immediate cessation of hostilities to prevent any damage to the important oil industry – its only source of income.

“Libyan natural resources belong to all Libyans. They must be protected and exported legally under the authority of the Presidency Council (PC).

Otherwise, Libya’s citizens will pay the price,” said Kobler, who heads the UN Stabilization Mission to Libya (UNSMIL).

It has been tasked by the UNSC to support the political process through mediation and good offices, conduct human rights monitoring and reporting, support key institutions and efforts to secure uncontrolled arms, the provision of essential services and delivery of humanitarian assistance, and coordination of international assistance.

Libya Football Federation (LFF) and its clubs have been desperately trying to convince CAF and FIFAthat it is safe to play football in Libya.

Al-Ahli Tripoli Football Club said it had received a preliminary approval from CAF to lift the ban on the Tripoli Stadium for the 2017 Champions League.

CAF’s approval came after a bundle of measures were taken by Al-Ahli in late December in a bid to get the ban on Libyan stadiums lifted to play home matches.

And Ghana’s Aduana Stars landed in Tripoli for an international friendly against Al Ahli on January 20, having left Accra on January 18 via a Royal Air Maroc flight and had to transit in Casablanca.

CAF should have sent a special delegation to check on the general status and security during the friendly in order to determine the fate of the ban.

This may have delighted the LFF, which had initially arranged the friendly with Liberia on December 28, 2016 but the government saw it from an acute angle, which annoyed the LFA.

“We respect their decision but I believe it wasn’t properly scrutinized. Currently Danesius, three top Ghanaian clubs are doing pre-season in Tripoli.

One of them should have played yesterday [January 19], including Asante Kotoko. So football is being played in Libya. Unfortunately, Liberia will not participate now,” said a disappointed LFA vice President Musa Shannon.

Kotoko canceled their trip to Libya due to “communications breakdown from the agent who was facilitating the process,” operations director Ernest Owusu Ansah told asantekotokosc.com on January 20.

According to Shannon, there is nowhere on Earth that is safe and Liberia should empathize with countries having instability.

“Liberia was at war for 14 years and we played numerous international matches when fighting was taking place at Po River [in Bomi County]. I was part of a national team that traveled to Congo-Brazzaville when they were at war.

“We traveled to Sierra Leone when they were at war. And we traveled to Sudan when they were at war.

“The government of Liberia felt it necessary to put my life at risk at that particular point in time during a qualifying match.

Libya is not the perfect environment; I agreed. However, football transcends that. And football is the reason why people wake-up in the morning and feel like their lives have hope.

“I think it is unfair. If there is a legitimate threat against the Liberian national team that has been verified by security professionals, we will respect that but the information received from the Ministry of Youth and Sports is that they are following social media.

“It would have been okayed with us if the information [to cancel the game] had come from the NSA [National Security Agency], Liberian defense department or Liberian personnel in Morocco, who are covering Libya. But Danesius, where in this world is safe?

I was almost bombed in Brussels, [Belgium]. I was landing on a flight that was arriving at Brussels airport,” argued Shannon.

The former Liberia international, who won 14 caps, also argued that Liberia have been to trouble spots to play football, including a 0-1 defeat to Yemen in Sana’a on November 17, 2010 and a 1-0 victory over Iraq in Baghdad on May 27, 2013.     

But the game in Baghdad increased the levels of blood pressure of families and friends following two bomb explosions near the stadium, leaving James Salinsa Debbah, who was a critic of the LFA but is now a praise singer, to take to Facebook. 

“Why Bagdad? Why not played the game at a neutral ground? Let say another country. Why choose a region where warfare is prevalent?

Oh I see! It’s all about the US$200,000 that will be given to the Lone Star by the Iraqi Football Federation that is more important, not the lives of the players.

“Why put our players in harm’s way for some money that they will not get?

This friendly encounter is intended as a preparation match for our scheduled World Cup qualifier match against the Cranes of Uganda,” Debbah wrote on May 27, 2013.

Four years later, Debbah was hoping to make the same perilous journey he critiqued by summoning 18 local players to a training session at the uncompleted George Weah technical center in Caresburg, Montserrado County.

Monrovia – The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and chief patron of Barrack Young Controllers Football Club was on display during the visit of Jillian Anne Ellis (or Jill Ellis), head coach of the female national team of the United States of America and goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris to the Monrovia Football Academy (MFA) on November 30.

Report by Danesius Marteh – danesius.marteh@frontpageafricaonline.com

Robert Sirleaf took some of the guests by surprise when he vented his anger at our sports editor with the use of invectives in reaction to a November 16 story in the FrontPageAfrica newspaper and online.

The article flagged the selection of 10 BYC players by head coach James Salinsa Debbah when Liberia lost 0-1 to Kenya in a Fifa-recognized international friendly in Nairobi on November 15.  

Greece-based Paul Were of Acharnaikos scored a 52^nd minute goal to continue Kenya’s unbeaten run in eight games in friendlies and Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

But it was the BYC players—Karleo Anderson, Hilton Varney, Prince Jetoh, Kemoh Kamara, Sporo Somah, David Tweh, Mark Paye and Van Dave Harmon that dominated the pre and post-match build-ups.

Sylvanus Morris was also selected but didn’t feature.

This could be due, in part, to Debbah’s friendship with Robert under whose influence he was reportedly appointed as board member at the Liberia Maritime Authority (LMA).

Debbah fielded the players ahead of BYC’s third appearance in the Caf Champions League (2017), having won the 2016 Liberia Football Association (LFA) first division championship.

“You write some f**k**g shit about people sometimes you know. You put an a** straight (maybe stray) in the newspaper the other day about me.”

“Do you know how I hate the f**k**g Lone Star team. And you were talking about my relationship with Debbah and having some f**k**g board member job at maritime.

“Who gave a damn about what Debbah does with the national team?

It has to stop, Danesius. It has to stop because you get away with this bullshit all the time.

“Somebody needs to teach your a** a lesson about this your f**k**g big stuff attitude and the bullshit you write about people,” said Robert Sirleaf  as Montserrado County Representative (District #9, CDC) looked on.

President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, who spoke to the kids and was about to leave, was being quizzed by journalists, including the BBC Jonathan Paye-Layleh, when Robert took on our Sports Editor, who has been repeatedly threatened and or attacked by people affected by his journalistic work.

It is still not clear whether information Minister Lenn Eugene Nagbe, sports minister Saah Charles N’tow, LFA vice president Musa Shannon, National Bureau of Concession director-general Ciatta Bishop, who is also an LFA executive committee member, MFA director Will Smith, Jill, Ashlyn and the other guests heard Robert.

Robert’s Sunday school words (an analysis)

This was not the first time for Robert to spew out some Sunday school words or invectives.

During a league match between BYC and LISCR FC at the Blue Field on February 12, Robert exhibited an unruly behavior and rained invectives (real foul words or ma cusses, like we say in Liberia) in a show of power and strength to protest the use of striker Trokon Myers, who had completed his transfer from BYC to LISCR.

In the end, an embarrassed-coach Robert Lartey, who moved from BYC to LISCR, was forced to withdraw Myers after several phone calls were made to top brass in government and the business community in a standstill that lasted for more than 30 minutes. LISCR eventually lost 0-1.

In the process, Robert banned Walter Samuels, a die-hard LISCR fan, who was unhappy about his conduct and LISCR FC president Mustapha Raji’s utter silence.

During the 2014 senatorial elections, Robert threatened to deal with protesters against his senatorial bid and make them to “bleed” in the manner and form the Ebola Virus Disease threats its victims but later apologized after mounting criticisms.

“Let me come back in Red Hill Field and catch one of them. Let me come back in this community”.

:Plenty people holding placards, I can’t wait to catch them. They will feel their stomach [intestines] coming out of their stomach.

“And when I’m finished with them, and they think they can come hold something, I will deal with them in my most final way [like] the Ebola virus.”

“I will make them bleed,” said Robert in an angry tone with a clenched fist on November 8, 2014. 

Silence kills but the truth hurts. So I could understand Robert’s anger, especially after BYC, who have been training for days, lost the LFA Super Cup to newly-promoted Monrovia Club Breweries on penalties on November 29.

I have covered Robert from the dedication of his more than 100 projects in and out of Monrovia to his senatorial bid.

I am one of few journalists, who have his email address and have had exclusive interviews with him.

It was sad for him to have made those remarks, especially to somebody he “admires” and has openly praised. I accept his comments in good faith.

As a devout Roman Catholic, I hold no grudges and have forgiven him because we are humans.

But my work is to responsibly collect and disseminate information to my audience regardless of who is affected or promoted.

I am open to corrections and admire those, including Kelvin Sebwe and Musa Shannon, who have found conventional ways to register their disagreements.

This is the job I know to make a decent living and support my family and friends.

I am not a blackmailer and have never been labeled as such in a court of competent jurisdiction.

So please bear with me and offer constructive disagreements.

Monrovia – There were eight players from Barrack Young Controllers (BYC), who featured in Liberia’s 0-1 defeat to Kenya in a FIFA-approved international friendly at Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi on November 15.

Greece-based Paul Were of Acharnaikos scored a 52^nd minute goal to continue Kenya’s unbeaten run in eight games in friendlies and Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers.

But it was the BYC players—Karleo Anderson, Hilton Varney, Prince Jetoh, Kemoh Kamara, Sporo Somah, David Tweh, Mark Paye and Van Dave Harmon that dominated the build-up to the match.

Sylvanus Morris of BYC was also selected but didn’t feature.

This could be due in part to Liberia head coach James Salinsa Debbah’s friendship with BYC chief executive officer Robert Alvin Sirleaf under whose reportedly influence he was appointed as board member at the Liberia Maritime Authority (LMA).

BYC will represent Liberia in the 2017 CAF Champions League, having won the 2016 Liberia Football Association (LFA) first division championship.

During his playing days, Debbah was controversial at best and problematic at worst and it appears those attributes have followed him to the dugout.

Since his appointment in November 2014, Debbah’s tenure have been marred by selecting unwanted players and family member to allegations of slicing players’ perdiems and from verbal exchanges with players to a condemnation of the league and insults meted fans.

Fresh from his coaching familiarization visit with Leicester City in England, Debbah nullified the selection of local players recruited by U-23 head Coach Thomas Kojo and selected almost the first-team of BYC.

Former Manchester City striker Alex Nimely and Spain-based Boison Wynney de Souza were called-up by Debbah but watched from the bench.

Nimely was pursued in 2008 by German coach Antoine Hey, who invited him for the 2010 World Cup qualifiers, but he refused on grounds of a lack of insurance.

He was invited by Coach Kaetu Smith during the 2013 Afcon qualifiers but didn’t honor the invitation.

When Debbah first invited him in June 2015 for the 2017 Afcon qualifiers, Nimely said he needed permission from his father because he was out of contract.

So, it is not clear whether Nimely, who plays for FC Viitorul Constanta in the Romanian Liga I, has been insured or got the thumbs-up from his father.

Nimely, who has Liberian parents, was adopted by an Englishman and played for England during the 2009 under-20 World Cup in Egypt.

It is also not clear whether Liberia got permission from football’s world governing body—FIFA to allow Nimely switch allegiance.

Souza, who was born in Spain on December 27, 1996, was impressive in training but Debbah stuck with LISCR FC goalie Tommy Songo.

The 19-year-old, who serves as CE Europa FC’s first choice goalkeeper in Spain’s Tercera Division (fourth division), was seen as a solution to Liberia’s goalkeeping problem.

United States-based Joel Johnson Alajarin, who plays for Charlotte Independence in the United Soccer League as a right back, didn’t honor the invitation.

Joel, who was born in Torrent, Valencia to a Liberian father and a Spanish mother, played for Valencia and Real Madrid’s youth teams.

Morocco-based William Jebor of Wydad Athletic Club was also absent but South Africa-based Anthony Snothi Laffor of Mamelodi Sundowns and Lithuania-based Oscar Murphy Dorley of FK Trakai featured.

Liberia had the first chance when Laffor’s shot from a tight angle was picked by Boniface Oluoch.

But the hosts reacted swiftly with scores of chances and Songo stood-up to their onslaught.

Laffor had a good chance to restore parity in the 71st minute when put through but blasted wide in a one-on-one situation.

LISCR FC defensive midfielder Saah Nyumah and Dorley were impressive in midfield against midfielder Victor Wanyama of Tottenham Hotspurs in England.

Liberia used the match to prepare for the 2019 Afcon qualifiers while Kenya are also preparing for the 2018 Chan Nations Cup for local players and 2019 Afcon qualifiers.

Coach Stanley Okumbi is also out to assemble a formidable team which can be a force to reckon with ahead of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.

Kenya beat DR Congo 1-0 in Kinshasa on October 4 with a goal from Sweden-based striker Michael Olunga.

Eric Johanna scored a 16^th minute goal as Kenya beat Mozambique 1-0 on Saturday in Nairobi.

Liberia’s only meetings with Kenya were during the 1990 World Cup qualifiers.

They drew the first leg 0-0 on January 21, 1989 in Monrovia and lost 1-0 in Nairobi on August 11, 1989.

Liberia: 16-Tommy Songo (GK), 18-Anthony Laffor, 19-Karleo Anderson, 21-Hilton Varney (6-Carlos Williams 86’), 3-Prince Jetoh, 13-Dominic Doe (5-Kemoh Kamara 59’), 7-Saah Nyumah, 8-Sporo Somah (10-Fallah Sheriff 54’), 14-Murphy Dorley (22-David Tweh 76’), 15-Mark Paye, 20-Van Dave Harmon (17-Terrence Tisdell 68’)

Unused substitutes: 23-Boison Deosouza, 11. Alex Nimely.

Monrovia – Horrible goalkeeping and defensive blunders were displayed at the Stade Mustapha Ben Jannet in Monastir when Tunisia hammered Liberia 4-1 in a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier on September 4. 

Report by Danesius Marteh, danesius.marteh@frontpageafricaonline.com

Wahbi Khazri, who plays for Sunderland in the English Premier League, gave the Tunisians a five-minute lead when a chipped ball beat the offside trap, landed on Khazri’s chest before he slotted past the hapless Galley James of Watanga in goal.

William Jerbo had a golden opportunity to level the score when an Anthony Laffor pass rolled inside the six-yard box but Jerbo’s timing was too poor by the narrowest of margin.

Local-based Taha Khenissi of Esperance made it 2-0 before the break when James woefully missed the ball with a two-footed clearance, which turned out to be a blessing as Khenissi rolled the ball in an empty net in the 35^th minute.

Central defender Teah Dennis and Dirkir Glay and defensive midfielder Alseny Keita were guilty as charged for the goal.

Back from recess, Liberia head coach James Salinsa Debbah replaced Keita with Seku Conneh, Van Dave Harmon with Mark Paye and Theo Weeks with Oscar Murphy Dorley in an attempt to take the game to the hosts.

And it paid-off when striker Paye, who scored 12 goals in 12 matches to help Barrack Young Controllers (BYC) to the first division championship, scored an in swinger in the 70^th minute.

But local-based Saber Khalifa of Club Africain increased the score when James deflected a safe in his direction in the 73^rd minute and local-based Hamza Lahmar of Etoile du Sahel scored a 77^th minute penalty to confirm their ticket in December’s draw and a trip to Gabon next year.

Togo beat Djibouti 5-0 in Lome to qualify as one of two best runners-up with goals from Vietnam-based Vincent Bossou in the 25^th minute, Belgium-based Mathieu Dossevi of Standard Liege in 44^th minute, Fo-Doh Laba in the 52^nd minute and Ghana-based Komlan Agbegniadan of Wafa in the 87^th and 90^th minutes respectively.

Youth and Sports Minister Saah Charles N’tow, Montserrado County Senator George Weah and Grand Gedeh County Representative Zoe Emmanuel Pennue watched the humiliation from the VIP box.

Tunisia topped Group A with 13 points; Togo are second with 11 points; Liberia are third with 10 points while Djibouti are bottom-ranked having conceded 24 goals.

Liberia won the first leg 1-0 at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium (ATS) on September 4, 2015 and was hoping to repeat history after a goalless draw with Tunisia in Sfax on February 10, 1995 in qualifying for their first Afcon finals in South Africa in 1996.

At the end of those qualifiers and just as it was before Sunday’s do or die match, Liberia were leveled on 10 points with Tunisia, having won the first leg 1-0 at the Samuel Kanyon Doe (SKD) sports complex in Paynesville on April 23, 1995.

Jonathan Boye Charles Sogbie scored a 64^th minute winner in a group that included Senegal, Togo, Mauritania and Guinea Bissau, who later withdrew after three matches with a win and two defeats.      

But things have dramatically changed 21 years later and the odds were hugely stark against Liberia, who have been poor travelers until Debbah and crew broke a 15-year record when Liberia beat Djibouti 1-0 in a 2017 Afcon qualifier at the Stade du Ville on March 24 in Djibouti City.

Debbah and company also broke a 14-year record when Liberia beat Guinea Bissau 3-1 at the Estadio 24 de Setembro in a 2018 first round World Cup qualifier second leg on October 13, 2015 in Bissau.

But those memorable results have come against weaker teams and defeats against Ivory Coast over two legs in November 2015 in the 2018 second round World Cup qualifiers and against Togo in a 2017 Afcon qualifier in Lome on June 14, 2015 have drawn question marks over Debbah’s technical ability to face quality oppositions.

Any if Liberia’s performance on June 5 at the ATS in which Togo came from two goals down to draw 2-2 is anything to go by then Liberians weren’t hoping for Christmas in September.  

Debbah was problematic at worst and controversial at best as a player and those bad omens have since followed him in the dugout.

His appointment was hugely criticized in November 2014 largely due to his managerial inexperience and controversies have been commonplace since then.

Debbah has been in the media for all the wrong reasons from recalling unused players at club level to cries over salary arrears and from metaphoric jokes about his resignation to seeking medical in the United States of America.  

His recall of Sekou Jabateh-Oliseh from the international wilderness to face Togo and a decision to hand William Jerbo the famous #10 jersey were signs of bad things to come but the teargas and pepper spray used by the police on fans and players only confirmed the writings on the wall against Togo. 

And Liberians were told about another controversy before their departure to Rabat and Monastir.

Deputy Coach Kelvin Sebwe was unfairly excluded from the trips on allegations of inciting his former international teammates, who were dismissed by the Liberia Football Association (LFA) in June.

Sebwe told Weekend Sports on Fabric 101.1FM on August 27 that he was unaware of the team’s preparation and won’t be used like a toy but LFA president Musa Bility told a news conference on August 29 that Sebwe remains the deputy coach.

Bility also said it was better for Sebwe to remain in Monrovia so as not to distract the team’s focus with the row between him and Debbah.

Malaysia-based Francis Grandpa Doe, who scored the winner against Tunisia, also missed the return leg. Like Debbah, Doe is accustomed to controversies. 

He told the New Dawn program on Fabric 101.1FM on August 31 that he won’t be used like a toy after it emerged that Bility and Debbah had a quarrel over his inclusion before their departure to Rabat for an unrecognized Fifa friendly international in which Morocco under-23 beat Liberia 4-2 in Fes on August 31 with a hat-trick for Oualid Azaro.

Debbah handed debuts to few new comers, including Australia-based Emile Damey, who scored in the 80^th minute.

But nobody took clues from the abysmal performance of Captain Dennis, goalie James and Glay, scored in the 41^st minute.

Dorley, who recently transferred to Trakai FK of Lithuania from Monrovia Club Breweries in Liberia, was also handed a start while Laffor and Solomon Grimes were second half substitutes. 

CAFnamed Jen Medard Kossa of Congo as match commissioner but their decision to select South Africa’s Daniel Frazer Bennett as center referee went unnoticed. 

Bennett oversaw Liberia’s 6-1 defeat to Nigeria in a 2013 Afcon qualifier on October 13, 2012 in Calabar.

The former Premier Soccer League (PSL) referee was assisted by compatriots Zakhele Thusi Silwela and Mothibidi Stevens Khumalo.

Born in Dewsbury, England on August 22, 1976, Bennett has been an international referee since 2003.

Bennett, who is a school teacher at Mondeor Primary in Johannesburg, was voted PSL referee during the 2000/2001 and 2010/2011 seasons.

2017 Afcon qualifiers’ round-up

The campaign began on Friday when South Africa and Mauritania drew 1-1 in Nelspruit in Group M while Cameroon beat Gambia 2-0 in Limbe on Saturday to top the group with 14 points.

Elsewhere, Ethiopia beat Seychelles 2-1 in Awasa in Group J on Saturday while Algeria, who has already won the group, beat Lesotho 6-0 in Blida on Sunday. 

Angola drew 1-1 with Mauritania in Luanda on Saturday while DR Congo beat the Central African Republic 4-1 in Kinshasa on Sunday to top Group B with 15 points.

Ghana and Rwanda drew 1-1 in Accra in Group H while Mozambique beat Mauritius 1-0 in Maputo on Saturday respectively. Despite the shock, Ghana topped the group with 14 points.

Nigeria beat Tanzania 1-0 on Saturday in Uyo in Group G, which was won by Egypt with 10 points after collecting four points from Nigeria and the withdrawal of Chad.  

Cape Verde missed their chance to finish as one of two best runners-up following a 1-0 defeat to Libya in Praia on Saturday.

Morocco, who already won Group F, beat Sao Tome and Principe 2-0 in Rabat on Sunday.

Senegal became the only team with a 100-percent record in the qualifiers following a 2-0 win over Namibia in Dakar on Saturday while Niger drew goalless with Burundi in Niamey on Sunday in Group K. 

And for the second time in Group I, Ivory Coast drew 1-1 with Sierra Leone in Abidjan to complete on Saturday.

The Ivorians won the group with six points because matches against Gabon, who are hosting next year’s finals, are considered as friendlies.

In Sunday’s early kick-off Malawi beat Swaziland 1-0 in Blantyre in Group L, which has been won by Zimbabwe, who lost 0-1 to Guinea in Conakry.

Burkina Faso beat Botswana 2-1 in Ouagadougou in a match that produced three red cards while Uganda beat Comoros Island 1-0 in Kampala in Group D.

The teams are leveled on 13 points but Burkina Faso topped the group on the head-to-head record, having beaten Uganda 1-0 in Ouagadougou on March 26 and drawn 0-0 in Kampala on March 29.

Uganda qualified as one of two best runners-up. 

Zambia drew 1-1 with Kenya in Ndola in Group with Guinea Bissau, who won Group E with 10 points, lost to Congo 0-1 in Brazzaville.   

So the finalists going into December’s draw are hosts Gabon, Tunisia, Togo, DR Congo, Mali, Burkina Faso, Uganda, Guinea Bissau, Morocco, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Algeria, Senegal, Zimbabwe and Cameroon.

Liberia: Galley James; Solomon Grimes, Gizzie Dorbor, Dirkir Glay, captain Teah Dennis; Alseny Keita (Seku Conneh 52’), Van Dave Harmon (Mark Paye 63’), Theo Weeks (Oscar Murvee Dorley 63’), Anthony Laffor; William Jerbo and Sam Johnson

Tunisia: Aymen Mathlouthi, Ali Maâloul, Hamdi Nagguez, Aymen

Abdennour, Siyam Ben Youssef, Bilel Mohseni, Hamza Lahmar, Aymen Ben Amor, Saâd Bguir, Wahbi Khazri and Taha Yessine Khnissi

Monrovia – The Liberia Football Association (LFA) has confirmed an international friendly with Morocco on August 31 but it appears that information maybe another publicity stunt.

This followed a deceitful admittance by the LFA on August 13 that the much-publicized West African Football Union (Wafu) tournament, which was scheduled for October in honor of Presidents Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, has been canceled due to ongoing renovation works at the Samuel Kanyon Doe sports complex. 

And now the official Facebook page of the Morocco FA is quoting Liberian media of a planned friendly with its local national team.

According to the LFA, the match takes place in Casablanca with Morocco having exchanged communication with Liberia on August 10.

But there is no mention of the match, which will take place at the Kenitra Stadium at 8:00PM local time, on the official website of the Morocco FA.

According to LFA communications consultant Horatio Bobby Willie, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) was reached with Mcsport, who are organizing the match.
Willie disclosed that the MOU, which was signed by LFA Presidents Musa Bility, will see Liberia train in Rabat for five days before and after the game.

He said Liberia is expected to feature 90-percent of the team that will face Tunisia on September 3 in the last match of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier while the Moroccans will feature its home based national team.

“This will help us to test our players and work on our strategies ahead of crucial matches in both the African Cup of Nations and World Cup qualifiers,” Bility was quoted in a LFA release.

According to Willie, Mcsport will provide training facility, a 50-seater bus, provide a luxurious hotel and accommodate a 32-man delegation while the LFA will provide tickets and all the resources for the delegation that will include local and foreign-based players.

But doubts now hang over the veracity of the LFA’s pronouncement if the website and Facebook accounts of the Moroccan FA are anything to go by.