Can the Lone Star defy the odds and conquer the Afcon qualifying group stage?
The Lone Star of Liberia has successfully qualified for the group stage of the African Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers, after defeating Djibouti at home. Despite their qualification, the team’s performance has left fans unimpressed.
A hard-fought draw
In the preliminary rounds of the Afcon qualifiers, Liberia secured their qualification with a goalless draw against Djibouti at the Samuel K Doe Sports Complex. It was a challenging match for the home side as they were overplayed by the visitors. Despite losing the first leg 2-0, Djibouti had a strong performance throughout the game, controlling possession and creating scoring opportunities.
Missed chances and solid defense
Both teams had their fair share of missed opportunities. In the 34th minute, Murphy Oscar Dorley had a golden chance to score but failed to convert. The Lone Star captain also missed a header in the second half. On the defensive end, Liberia’s goalkeeper, Abdulla Koulibaly, made a crucial save to deny Djibouti a goal. The visitors’ chances were further reduced when they were reduced to ten men after an unsportsmanlike attack on Terry Sackor.
A disappointing finish
The game ended in a goalless draw, but Liberia advanced to the group stage with a 2-0 aggregate score from their away win in the first leg. Despite their qualification, the Lone Star’s performance has been less than stellar. The team has not won a competitive game at home since October 2019, leaving fans frustrated.
While the Lone Star has successfully qualified for the Afcon group stage, their performance raises questions about their ability to compete against stronger opponents. With improvements needed in both offense and defense, it remains to be seen if they can defy the odds and make a significant impact in the qualifying stage.