By S. Siapha Mulbah
As the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in Paynesville play host to Lone Star versus Bafana Bafana of South Africa today, March 28, 2023 in the return leg of the African Cup of Nations qualifiers, Liberians expect nothing other than a win to book a space for neighboring Ivory Coast.
For the red, white and blue colors to be part of the biannual African Sport showpiece next year making their third appearance, a compulsory win will seal the deal for the endeavor.
In the group K. consisting of three teams; Morocco is currently the group leader with six points from two matches played and won against Liberia and South Africa.
With an anxiety to qualify from the group as runner-up to Morocco with Liberia or South Africa with no option rather than winning today’s encounter to secure the second place in the group with solid four points.
Before a well-attended fan-based and home crowd at the SKD Sports Complex, the national team’s new head coach Ansumana Keita will have to ensure that the mandates given him by the Liberian Football Association to qualify the team for the Nation’s cup next year in Ivory Coast is in full swing.
The best opportunity for the Lone Star since the draw at the first leg last Friday, March 24, 2023 in Soweto is to claim all three points while the rest of at least a draw against Morocco in the second leg will be anticipated to visit the nation’s cup once again since 2002.
Since 2019, the Lone Star has not enjoyed the leverages of playing a home match in senior competitions which former coach Peter Butler said caused dismal performance in past African competitions.
The ban from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA during the period under review took the Liberian national team home games away because the SKD Sports Complex then failed to meet certain criteria.
Now that Liberians can again make their contribution to the national team by turning out in mass at the Sports Complex and cheering the boys to victory, it is the responsibility of the players and the team to do its almost best by getting the needed result.
