Lone Star Men Assure Victory



 

 

By Julu M. Johnson, Jr.

     May 28, 2004-The camp of the national soccer team of Liberia Lone Star is bubbling with high hopes that the country will walk over the Eagles of Mali on June 6, 2004.

    With barely a week to the match, the Lone Star convened another practice session on Wednesday at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium (ATS) on Lynch Street.

    Lone Star head coach Kadallah Kromah, assisted by Wilfred Lardner and Joseph Sayon, has named nine foreign based players for the match. But with most of the players yet to arrive in Monrovia, the focus is on the local talents that are on a standby.

     Notwithstanding, two out of the nine players invited from abroad are already in town.Veteran striker James Debbah and agile goalkeeper Sunday Seah have joined the team in training.

     During a brief chat, the Indian based goalkeeper Sunday Seah, who plays for Dempo Sporting Club, said, "we are preparing and I hope the others will come so as to play together before the match."

    He also said, "everyone in the team is good and I am willing to play with whosoever is selected."

     He called on the Liberian soccer population to "know that we can make it."

     The young and talented LPRC Oilers hitman Varney Boakai also expressed confidence that the Lone Star will triumph on June 6.

      Speaking about himself, Boakai, who was once upon a time the most valuable player in the national football league, noted, "the match is an easy one because we cannot lose at home."

      Although the current Malian squad comprises talented stars in Soumaila Coulibaly (Fribourg, Germany), Mahamadou Diarra (Lyon, France), Adama Coulibaly, Seydou Kietta (both of RC Lens, France), Mohammed Sissoko (Valencia, Spain) and Fredric Kanoute (Totteham Hostpusrs, England), Varney still bragged that, "we are not moved by names, but rather we play football."

      The player said the strength of the Lone Star lies on the wings, where he said there are skillful players and good finishers.

     Come the match with Mali, Varney assured, "I will try to do my best."

      For his part, the head coach Kadallah Kromah mentioned that all is being done to pull a victory over the Malians.

       He stated that the players are responding well, and that if the rest of the players invited from abroad show up, a good result would be achieved.

      Coach Kromah, nevertheless, stressed the need for government to support the team financially.

     Apart from the foreign legion of James Debbah and Sunday Seah, two other players are training with the Lone Star from overseas.

     The former St. Anthony FC right-full back Eisiah Benson and an unknown player, Godfrey Miller, are also training with the Lone Star. Benson, who formed part of the match with Gambia, landed in Monrovia from Ghana.

      As for Miller, he revealed that he has been living and playing soccer in the United States as well as the German second division.

      Miller said he left Liberia at the age of 15 during the early stage of the Liberian civil war and sought refuge in Sierra Leone for two years before going to the United States where he also played college soccer.

      The player said he has not received an official invitation from the Lone Star but said he stands ready to play for the team if selected despite admitting that he is recovering from an injury.

      The rest of the foreign based players including George Gebro, Jimmy Dixon, Dioh Williams, Oliver Makor, Alvin Kie, Prince Daye and Zizi Roberts are expected to join the team shortly.

     In the meantime, the current Lone Star contingent that is making preparations for the match is being dominated by talented locals that have been drawn from the Premier and First divisions.

      From Mighty Barrolle are skipper Varmah Kpoto, Joseph Sion, Freddrick Vah, Morris Baryoh, Solomon Grimes, George Miller and Pascal Karblee, while Bill Paytoe, Emmanuel Gbamy and Eric Lee Wright are from Invincible Eleven (IE).

       The players called from LPRC Oilers are Takpo Sonkarliey, Isaac Pupo, Terence Dixon, Solomon Wesseh, Varney Boakai and Isaac Tondo. The rest include Blamo Weah, Henry Gobah (both of LISCR FC), Preston Corporal and Pete Browne.