Less than a week after suffering narrow defeats in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, the Lone Star of Liberia and São Tomé and Príncipe are set to meet this afternoon at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex to close their respective March windows. The match will conclude the international football window for both teams, who are eager to bounce back from their previous setbacks.
Liberia’s national team comes into the match after a 1-0 loss to Tunisia last Wednesday at the same venue. Despite the defeat, the Lone Star will be looking to recover and secure three points against São Tomé to close the point gap between them and the top two teams in Group H.
Currently sitting third in the group with seven points, Liberia has posted two wins, one draw, and two losses in the ongoing World Cup qualifiers. The team is four points behind second-place Namibia and six points adrift of group leaders Tunisia. A win against São Tomé would provide a much-needed boost to their qualification hopes as they aim to close the gap before the next round of matches in September and October.
On the other hand, São Tomé, who are yet to register a point in the qualifiers, are at the bottom of the group standings. The team will be looking for their first-ever win in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers after five games and will hope to end their campaign for March with a positive result.
Despite the loss to Tunisia, Liberia’s caretaker coach, Thomas Kojo, remained upbeat, praising his squad’s performance. “It was a good performance but an unfortunate result,” Kojo said after the match against Tunisia.
The only goal of the game came early in the first half, when Liberia’s winger, Edward Ledlum, lost possession in his own half, allowing Tunisia’s Hazem Mastouri to seize the opportunity and score in less than minutes.
After the early setback, Liberia controlled possession and created multiple chances but struggled to convert. Debutants Salomon Tweh and Bryant Jimmy Farlarkun impressed with their performances, particularly Farlarkun, who was a constant threat to the Tunisian defense. Farlarkun was brought down in the box in what many believed to be a penalty-worthy challenge, but the referee waved play on.
The second half saw continued pressure from Liberia, with key players such as Ledlum and captain Oscar Murphy Dorley missing crucial opportunities to equalize. Kojo made several substitutions, including introducing local-based players Jagbe Konneh and Nicholas Andrews, whose combination in midfield caused trouble for Tunisia’s defense, though it didn’t result in a goal.
As the match neared its end, Tunisia earned two quick corners, but Liberia’s goalkeeper, Tommy Songo, made crucial saves to prevent further damage. Despite the defeat, Kojo remained optimistic, focusing on the team’s resilience and growth.
“We played well but were undone by an early goal. We’ll regroup, work on finishing, attacking urgency, and other areas before our next match,” Kojo stated during the post-match press conference.
Today’s match against São Tomé presents a crucial opportunity for the Lone Star to continue their journey in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, with the hope that a win will build momentum heading into the next phase of the campaign.
Lone Star To Close March Window Against São Tomé -A Recovery Match For Both Countries
