By S. Siapha Mulbah
Liberia Under-20 national team has ended its winless run from 2022, following a 5-1 win over the Sierra Leonian Under 20-national team in the just ended Zonal Youth Under-20 tournament.
The tournament was played in Liberia for a one-week period in four different matches between the two Mano River Union countries from February 18 – 25, 2024 at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in the city of Paynesville.
Prior to the tournament, the Liberian side had been in search of a win for nearly two years with the boys in the Red, White and Blue under pressure from home fans and some technical officials to defend the friendly trophy on home soil.
During the competition, the first two matches ended in draws for the national youth teams, and the last two were decisive on a win-win scenario. The young Lone Star won the trophy on aggregate by winning the last match 5-1 on Sunday February 25, 2024.
The final match was a game of goals after coach Kelvin Segwe reportedly reminded his players that they are regarded as having good goal-scoring strikers in different teams across country, and the nation needed the best of commitment and representation from them.
Jah Nyanfor opened the scoring within five minutes to put the home boys ahead. After 39 minutes, Samuel Gbandi got his last goal of the tournament from the penalty spot as an equalizer, but was not enough for the halftime to end level because Emmanuel Sieh also dispatched the ball from the spot to extend Lone Star’s lead at halftime.
In the second half, Emmanuel Sieh and Mateus Kolenda both scored to secure the first international trophy for the youngster in the year. The visitors ended getting an own goal scored to have themselves defeated 5-1.
Match day one opened the competition to a goalless draw on February 18 after both teams failed to find the back of the net, as the two goalkeepers took ownership of the 6-yard box to defend the national cause for which they were called to the national youth teams.
Day 2 again raised the tempo for coaches to call on the players to double up their efforts against the opposing side in order to avoid disappointment, and both came through with a one-all draw. This time around, the Sierra Leoneans shook the net, converting an 11thminute penalty through Samuel Gbande.
Gbande placed young Liberian goalkeeper Onesimus Beyan in the wrong direction to take the lead for his side throughout the first half. Beyan had also been in an incredible form since his call to the national youth team as a goalkeeper.
On 52 minutes, goalkeeper Aboubarkar Kamara of Sierra Leone also committed a yellow card foul in the box to give a penalty to Liberia. Emmanuel Sieh, the Most Valuable Mano River youth player, got the equalizer for the one-all draw.
Sierra Leone Won game three 1-0 with a lone goal scored by Alieu Kamara in the stoppage time after the end of the full 90 minutes.
