Lone Star Must
Do Or Die
By Julu M. Johnson, Jr.
There will be more matches this weekend as the race to
the African Cup of Nations and World Cup finals in 2006 intensifies.
In Monrovia, the host Lone Star of Liberia will take on the
national team of Togo at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in
Paynesville.
Before an anticipated 35,000 crowd, the big task rests
on the Liberians to snatch a victory or else if they ever dreamed of
reaching their first World Cup and third Nations Cup finals, such
plan will not materialize.
Like every other home match, Lone Star head coach Kadallah
Kromah is under severe pressure to return the team to winning ways,
particularly after he assembled an inexperienced side that failed
and lost 3-0 to the Red Devils of Congo Brazzaville two weeks ago.
Although soccer connoisseurs have already begun calling
for Kromah's head, the coach must win this one in order to restore a
cordial relationship with the fans.
But for a Togolese side that dragged the mighty Lions
of Teranga of Senegal, the match is arguably not going to be bread
and butter for the Lone Star.
Togo's national head coach Stephen Keshi, the former
Nigerian international, is, from what is believed, confident that
his side, that may include four naturalized Brazilians, will grab
three points in Monrovia having lost 1-0 to the Chipolopolo of
Zambia in Lusaka on match day one.
The AS Monaco of France striker Emmanuel Adebayor is a
reliable figure that could spearhead a purported Togolese onslaught
in Monrovia.
Nevertheless, Lone Star head coach Kromah has selected to put
behind him the tragic result in Brazzaville by recalling at least
twelve players from overseas.
They include Zizi Roberts, John Menyongai, Chris
Gbandi, Francis Grand Pa Doe, Sunday Seah, Alvin Kieh, Samuel Wowoah,
Jonah Sarwieh, George Gebro, Ben Teekloh and Anthony Langford.
Meanwhile, Jimmy Dixon and Dioh Williams were named on the squad but
the duo is reported not to be coming for the match.
Veteran striker James Salinsa Debbah, who
captained the side against Mali and created the winner for Alvin
Kieh to score, is currently in Monrovia and may be part of the party
provided if coach Kromah favors him. Debbah has been doing
self-training at the SKD Sports Complex apparently in preparation
for the match.
Most of the players named by coach Kromah have touched
down in Monrovia and they were expected to officially move to camp
on Thursday, July 1, 2004 at Hotel Newahun in Sinkor.
The foreign based players already in Monrovia include
John Menyongai, Anthony Ballah, Fallah Johnson, Sunday Seah, George
Gebro, Francis Grand Pa Doe, Anthony Langford, Jonah Sarwieh, Ben
Teekloh.
The match is slated to be officiated by a referee and
two assistant referees from Guinea, and they are already in
Monrovia, while the match commissioner will be a Ghanaian, and the
match inspector from The Gambia.
At the same time, the other members of Group Two
will also be in action.
In Dakar, the Group's favorites, Senegal's
Lions of Teranga will host the Eagles of Mali.
The Chipolopolo of Zambia will take on the Red Devils of Congo
Brazzaville in Lusaka.
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