LIBERIA
VERSUS
ETHIOPIA-
A
PREVIEW
By Bruce Wiah- Liberiansoccer.com
June 4,2003
On Sunday, June 8, 2003, the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in
Monrovia will host Liberia and Ethiopia in the second qualifiers match
for the 2004 ANC.
This dithering encounter, which is the second between both teams in
less than four months, is apparent to generate many fireworks as they
toss for qualification to Tunisia.
Having met in the first leg in March this year, it’s somewhat unspoken
that both teams might have gathered some familiarity as far as
technical and physical aspects are known.
Managing a highly devised 1-0 accomplishment over Liberia in Addis
Ababa, the Ethiopians may enfold no alarm as they did before the first
leg match.
Numerically, the East Africans enjoy the plus having clutched six
points from three matches and lying second in the Group though tied in
points with Guinea.
And with an inadequate sum of stress going into Sunday match, Coach
Asrat Haile hasn’t ruled out the option of clinching a win.
“It’s rather unusual to consider winning away, but with my players’
determination and best performance, we might win”, he told Ethiopian
Press.
If the Ethiopian snatches a point and Guinea also hosting the Niger
simultaneously wins, the two leaders of the Group are the possible
teams for Tunisia 2004.
Troubled by steaming pressures from home fans and the latent
puzzlement in assembling the right type of players for Coach Kromah
team, the strident coach looks arm-folded.
Unlike the 4-0 and 5-1 trouncing of Mauritius and Congo DR in 2001,
Liberia isn’t a notable scoring team, something that speaks openly in
these qualifiers matches.
However, the present state of the Lone Star, which is completely
devoid of the cuff of what we witnessed two years ago glimmers
suspicions in Liberia’s qualification for Tunisia 2004.
With a tabulation of scoring one goal and conceding four in three
matches and collecting three points, the test for coach Kromah team
seems insistent.
Being adamant by the recall of experience players to the team,
correcting the scoring drought is the only alternative to spot that
Liberia remains in contention.
Holding a tradition of faint preparation ahead of stiff matches, one
may hardly presume nothing too far from a 1-0 win because of the home
records that Liberia bears.
What strategy would be employed has almost become irrelevant to
solicit because Liberia relies on individual tactics and
dependability.
Self-styled tactics and individual dependability after the unashamed
betrayal of ACT-22 are what Liberians look forward to increasing their
qualifiers bid come Sunday, June 8, 2003.
Probable selection: Boye Pratt, Shelton Barlee, George Gebro, Varmah
Kpoto, Jimmy Dixon, Kelvin Sebwe, Edward Dixon, Dulee Johnson, Alvin
Kieh, Dioh Williams and Prince Daye
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