Liberia’s WAFU team will now participate in the Plate completion for losers at the 2019 WAFU Nations Cup, having suffered a 1-0 defeat against Sierra Leone on Monday, September 30 at the Stade Lat Dior in Dakar, Senegal.
Sierra Leone held on to their 1-0 lead to progress to the quarterfinals of the Cup competition a day after the game was postponed due to “floodlight failure.”
The game, which started on Sunday night, was postponed after 71 minutes of play with Sierra Leone leading Liberia 1-0.
Sierra Leone broke the dead lock in the 40th minute when Suffian Kalokoh capitalized on a mistake in the Lone Star’s defense, and superbly volleyed home a left-foot shot from the edge of the box.
Both teams had plenty of chances prior to the opener, but were unlucky to find the back of the net.
Liberia looked a lot fresher than they did the night before and came close to equalizing in the 75th minute when Daniel Paye worked his way into the box, but he saw his 14-yard effort magnificently saved by the fingertips of the Sierra Leone keeper.
The Liberians threw players forward in the final 10 minutes, but could not find a goal as the Leone Stars held on for the slender victory.
Sierra Leone are the happiest side at the tournament after progressing to the next round, despite a late call up. The Leone Stars were reinstated in the tournament five days to the game day to replace invited guest team Morocco.
Sierra Leone will now progress into the quarterfinals of the Cup competition, where they will play Mali on October 6, while Liberia will take part in the Plate quarterfinals against another loser, Niger, on October 6, according to ESPN Africa.
In another development, the senior national football team of Liberia led by coach Peter James Butler, settled to a goalless draw against Botswana in an independence day friendly in Botswana.
Liberia was invited by the Botswana Football Association for the friendly as part of program marking the Southern African country’s 53rd independence.
Coach Butler’s squad comprised home-based players, excluding United States-based defender Joseph Aidoo, who won his second cap for the Lone Star.
The senior national team will return to action on Wednesday, October 9, when they host Chad in the preliminaries of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex.
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