Liberian Referees Perform Above Reproach

By Bruce – Liberiansoccer.com

 The quality of Liberian referees stood above reprimand last Sunday at the refurbished Ohene Djan stadium in Ghana when Accra Hearts of Oak played FC 105 of Gabon in the 2^nd leg of the 2008 CAF Champions league.

 Accra Hearts of Oak won the match 3-1 but failed to qualify to the next round losing 4-3 on aggregate in an anxious encounter that saw six yellow cards, one red and a penalty kick in a half-full stadium.

 Most football pundits misjudge Liberian match officials as far as the CAF competition is concerned and when three Liberian referees were chosen for such tense match, snooping eyebrows were raised as to how well they would perform.

 But this was not the case for central referee Ebenezer Konah  and his assistants James Kollie and Samuel Jarplain who served as referee assistant number one and two respectively.

 The Liberian referees made name for themselves and without difficulty, they ably demonstrated first-rate standard and were true reflections of modern football officiating anywhere else in the world.

 And excluding a few trivial mistakes, which are typical in football, central referee Konah stamped his influence over the match and was convinced of the decisions he made and not even the relentless nagging of the teams could dissuade and intimidate him.

 In accordance with the laws of football, he indefatigably brandished 6 yellow cards, a red card for two bookable offenses and one late penalty to Accra Hearts of Oak in the 90^th minute of the match.

 This was the same for the two assistant referees - James Kollie and Samuel Jarplain. These two men put on display due diligence in all aspects of the match from the blast of the first whistle to the last and deflected all the pressures that came from the stands when some of the flag they waved didn’t favor a particular team.

 Accra Hearts of Oak were beaten 3-0 in Libreville a forth night ago and needed four goals without any reply to qualify. The rainbow-colored Phobians took the lead in the 22^nd minute through Michael Asante, but the visitors replied in the 57^th minute when Minsta Clause Cedric slid in the equalizer from a fine play on the right flank.

 Substitute player Kofi Abanga long range effort from 35 yards restored Hearts of Oak lead before Francis Bossman increased the tally to 3-1 in the 90^th minute from the penalty spot, but that couldn’t savage a qualification for the reigning Ghanaian Champions.