— As Liberia Host Djibouti Shortly
IPNEWS: President Joseph N. Boakai, Sr., on Monday, March 25, expressed great pride in the performance of Liberia’s nation soccer Team, which recently defeated the Djibouti Team in the Moroccan City of Marrakech. He praised the Team for its courage and hard work to clinch an away win despite the many challenges facing sports administration in the country.
The President’s comments were made when he received the Lone Star Team in audience along with its technical staff and leaders of the Ministry of Youth and Sports in the Parlors of the Executive Mansion.
During the meeting, the President commended the players and technical staff for their unwavering commitment in their representation of Liberia in football during this period of scarcity of much needed resources.
President Boakai stressed the importance of putting into place proper planning and ensuring that the Team is adequately supported in its encounters. He further expressed his frustration over the constant shortage of resources compounded by poor planning. He vowed to work towards changing the narrative in favor of proper planning to ensure sustained support so as to empower those who represent the country and raise the flag in competitions.
An ardent sports lover himself, the Chief Patron of Sports of Liberia paid tribute to legendary soccer players of Liberia who he said contributed so much to building our country’s image. He led the audience into a moment of silence in honor of former Invincible Eleven goalkeeper Raymond Moulton who recently passed. In his heydays on the soccer pitch, Mr. Moulton also manned the goalpost for the Liberian National Team.
Reaffirming his government’s full support to the Team, the President expressed his concern for the welfare of the players, who he noted put their lives on the line for the country. He reassured Liberian athletes that his government will pay special attention to the promotion of sports by finding resources and opportunities for the players to prepare for a better future after their football career.
The Liberian Chief Executive lamented that, despite the country’s long years of existence as an independent nation, it is still unable to host the African Games. He promised to turn greater attention to the improvement of sports by finding the resources to build mini stadiums in the county capitals.
The Chief Patron of Sports then announced his plan to be present at the Stadium to personally witness the Djibouti-Lone Star return match set for Tuesday, March 26, at the Samuel K. Doe Sports Complex in Paynesville.
The Liberian athletes won four prestigious medals in various competitions, including track and field, table tennis, boxing, and taekwondo.
Liberian track and field athlete, Maia McCoy, received a silver medal, becoming Africa’s second-fastest woman after clocking 11.49 seconds in the 100-meter and 4X4 relay.
The Scrabble Squad won the second silver medal, while Liberia’s Grace Fahnbulleh won bronze in the women’s boxing category.
The President congratulated the athletes for their sacrifices and resilience, highlighting the meaningful day for the resurgence of the spirit of love and patriotism in Liberia. Regarding the Lone Star’s victory, the President welcomed it and urged Liberians to look forward to the return match with optimism and confidence.
The Liberia men’s senior national team, last Thursday, March 20, 2024, defeated Djibouti 2-0 in the first leg qualifiers of the Preliminary qualifiers of the 2025 African Cup of Nations that will take place in Morrocco. The team secured its first win after nearly two years, with New Head coach, Mario Marinica on the line, and the match was the first played under Boakai’s administration.
Two first half goals scored first from a penalty by Mo Sangare and a timely wide strike from Oscar Dolley, were enough to get the national team back to winning ways, with an advantage going into the second leg of the competition.
The Lone Star will welcome Djibouti in the return leg this Tuesday, March 26, at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex practice pitch in Paynesville City, to finally decide who’s going to participate in the main qualifiers of the nations cup.
