By S. Siapha Mulbah
Liberia’s men’s senior national team suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat against Tunisia on Wednesday evening at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex. Despite the loss, Caretaker Coach Thomas Kojo praised his young squad’s performance, calling it a “good performance but an unfortunate result.”
Tunisia secured the lone goal early in the first half when Liberian winger Edward Ledlum lost possession in his own half. Tunisian striker Hazem Mastouri capitalized on the error and slotted the ball past goalkeeper Tommy Songo in the 10th minute.
Following the early setback, Liberia dominated possession and created several scoring opportunities, but poor finishing denied them an equalizer. Debutants Salomon Tweh and Bryant Jimmy Farlarkun were standouts on the day of the clash, impressing fans with their skillful displays. Farlarkun was a constant threat to the Tunisian defense and was brought down in the box in what appeared to be a penalty, but the referee waved play on.
In the second half, Liberia continued to press for a goal, with Edward Ledlum and captain Oscar Murphy Dorley missing key chances. Coach Kojo introduced fresh legs, including local-based players Jagbe Konneh and Nicholas Andrews, whose combination in midfield troubled the Tunisian defense but failed to produce a goal.
Late in the match, Tunisia forced two quick corners, but goalkeeper Tommy Songo’s crucial saves prevented further damage. Despite the loss, Coach Kojo remained optimistic, citing the team’s strong performance and the late arrival of foreign-based players as a factor in their preparation.
“We played well but got defeated by an early goal. We will regroup and work on finishing, attacking urgency, and other areas before our next match,” Kojo said in the post-match press conference.
In a rare scene, Liberian fans cheered and danced after the game, showing support for the team’s effort despite the defeat. Many believed Liberia was unlucky and expressed confidence in the squad ahead of their next match against São Tomé. The loss leaves Liberia in third place in Group B with seven points. A win on Monday could see them move up to second place, depending on other results. Tunisia now leads the group with 13 points and will face Namibia next, while Malawi takes on Equatorial Guinea in the group’s other fixture.
