How
They Performed Against Mali
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Dioh Williams-man
of the match
By Julu M. Johnson, Jr.
The Lone Star of Liberia defeated the highly rated
Eagles of Mali on Sunday in a 2006 African Cup of Nations and World
Cup qualifier.
The victory came as a result of the collaborative
effort of 14 players that national head coach Kadallah Kromah
deployed on the Malians who are one of the emerging giants of the
African soccer game.
Below is the rating of the players used by the Lone Star in
crushing the Malians at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in
Paynesville.
Sunday Seah-The
Indian-based goalkeeper proved that he is Kadallah Kromah's first
choice when going against an intimidating Malian attack. Many a
times, the tall Malian forward Fredric Kanuote would take some
dangerous shots, but Sunday was also always on top of things. He
proved to be the Lone Star magic for many years to come with fine
timings and brilliant catches.
Rating:8/10
Eisaiah Benson-With
the performance the former St. Anthony defender exhibited on Sunday,
there is an argument that the young player should take the position
on a regularly basis. Benson plays his football in Ghana where he
has been seeking refuge. His defensive work shows that a player is a
player no matter where he may be. The prowess of Benson, which he
previously showed against Gambia, prompted coach Kromah to select
him over the more experience Fallah Johnson, who plays in Indonesia.
Benson's man-marking tactics and overlapping moves reduced the
pressure on the Lone Star.
Rating:8/10
George Gebro-The Greek based
player made sure that the Valencia midfielder Mohammed Sissoko was
kept for the most of the time such that the latter was replaced in
the second half. However, Gebro didn't play perfectly when compared
to his other colleagues. The attacking Malians restricted him to his
left-full back position. He did not move forward often like he used
to do. Coach Kromah later saw the need to remove him after he
received an injury.
Rating: 7/10
Varmah Kpoto:
The Mighty Barrolle central defender lived up to his name
as the most reliable of the Lone Star stoppers. Some argue that he
plays well for the Lone Star than for his club Mighty Barrolle. He
really proved that, when he made the squad against Mali. He combined
well Jimmy Dixon and made it his duty by policing the dangerous
Fredric Kanoute and Soumaila Coulibaly.
Rating: 8/10
Jimmy Dixon-The decision by BK
Hacken of Sweden to hire Jimmy Dixon is not a fluke. Dixon stopped
his Malian opponents well on Sunday. The former Mark Professionals
man won the ball on the ground and in the air. Probably, with Dixon
always in the Lone Star lineup, the team could avoid conceding
goals. Against Mali, he seemed to be stepping in the shoes of great
Liberian defenders such as Washington Blay, Sir John 'Monkey brown
and Sarkpeh Mayers
Rating: 8/10
Ben Teekloh-For
a player who was playing such role for the first time on the Lone
Star, Teekloh's performance was commendable. The Ghanaian based
natural defender was deployed in central midfielder through the
absence of the regular Oliver Makor. Even though there were few
lapses on the part of Teekloh, he made his own impact by not
allowing the Malians to get a free ride. If Teekloh must be given
similar role in the future, he must practice how to mark his
opponents well and restrict himself to a deeper role.
Rating: 7/10
Anthony Langford-With the presence of the former LISCR
FC midfielder, Liberians believe Kelvin Sebwe now has a successor.
The player, who now plays in Ghana for Obuasi Goldfields, took
command of the midfield against Mali with ease. The names Mali
possess did not pose any phobia to Langford who was one of the best
players on Sunday. He gave accurate passes and dribbled well. Much
is expected of him in the remaining nine matches Liberia has to
play.
Rating: 8/10
Frank
Senator-The Malaysian based striker was one person who
fought the Malians like a lion. He was at the throat of the Eagles
in attack and midfield. Had Seator directed his shots, probably he
would have grabbed two goals for the Lone Star. His fighting ability
caused his exhaustion in the second half, which caused coach Kromah
to substitute him. Never mind the spectators' demand for goal, the
former Barrolle hitman is always needed around because he creates
problems for opposing defenders. In addition, his fighting spirit
deserves some praises.
Rating: 7/10
Dioh Williams-Since
the end of the match on Sunday, Dioh Williams has become the talk of
Monrovia. The young player secured the man
of the match tag when only making his debut for the Lone
Star. The talented scorer won the hearts of Liberians with great
skills and dribbles. He was not frightened by Mali's big name. With
such talents, Liberia needs him all of the time.
Rating: 9/10
James Debbah-The
celebrated star played an inspiring role. His bones may be weak as a
result of his age and long service, but he never gave up. He often
set up for his compatriots to advance. At times, Debbah would take
the initiative by challenging the Malian defense only to be fouled
in the process. With the leadership ability shown on Sunday, there
is a need for Debbah to be around the team because his presence
could motivate the team. He could still carry the heavy load as
captain.
Rating: 8/10
Prince Daye-The winger was one
of the disappointments on Sunday. Daye was absent from most of the
actions. He failed to form part of the cohesiveness the team built.
Coach Kromah still had the hope that the former Bastia striker would
get his rhythm, but that was not the case. At the end of the day,
Isaac Tondo succeeded him.
Rating: 6/10
Alvin Kieh-He was last
player to arrive for the match, yet Power justified his inclusion by
scoring the only goal the team needed to whip the Malians. Before
then, Kieh, upon entering the match, took the first real shot
against the Malian goalkeeper Mamadou Sidibe, who applauded in
reply.
Rating:8/10
Fallah Johnson-Despite
the row sparked off between the fans and head coach Kromah, the
Indonesian based defender still contributed to the success on
Sunday. With George Gebro failing to make impact, Fallah took over
and played his part. His defensive works coupled with his
overlapping skills augured well for the Lone Star. In fact it was
Fallah who connected James Debbah, whose pass to Alvin Kieh brought
the goal. He would have done far better had he started the match.
Rating: 7/10
Isaac Tondo-Along
with Varmah Kpoto, Tondo was the only locally based player that
faced Mali. The LPRC Oilers striker was given the chance to score
against the Malians, but he didn't really excel. Perhaps, he didn't
have enough time to blossom.
Rating: 7/10
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