MONROVIA, Montserrado – Ahead of an African Cup of Nations qualifications match against Togo on June 5, LoneStar’s Coach James Salinsa Debbah has announced a list of 24 players for the crucial clash.
Liberia’s national team will face a real test in the journey to qualifying for the 2017 Gabon African Cup of Nations at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium. A win over the Sparrow Hawks of Togo will boost the chances of the LoneStar, currently seated top of Group A with nine points from four matches.
LoneStar lost its opening match 2-1 away at Togo before collecting a hard-fought three points at home with a narrow 1-0 win over North African giant Tunisia.
Liberia made clear their intention of qualifying for the African Cup of Nations in April when the team collected back to back wins against underdog Djibouti to go on top of Group A.
The list for the June 5 match includes 18 foreign-based and six local players. Of the foreign-based players, ten players play in Europe, four in Asia, two from other countries on the African continent, one unattached, and one based in North America. Coach Debbah dropped some players that made the list against Djibouti.
Former CSKA Moscow winger Sekou Jabateh Oliseh, who recently won the Romanian championship with Astra Giurgiu; unattached Patrick Gedhardt; and the controversial and undisciplined Francis Forkey Doe are among those recalled to the squad. Meanwhile, the likes of striker Patrick Ronaldinho Wleh, Indonesian-based defender Dirkir Glay, and veteran midfielder Dulee Johnson, who were all part of the squad against Djibouti, have been dropped.
Oliseh’s last appearance for the Lonestar was back in June 2014 when Liberia lost 2-0 away at Lesotho in an African Cup of Nation Qualification match. Oliseh has not played a competitive match since the represented Kuban Krasnodar against CSKA Moscow in December 2014, and will have to do a lot to convince Debbah that he is still at his best. Oliseh signed with Astra back in 2014 and did not make a single appearance as Astra clinched the 2015-2016 Romanian league title.
Meanwhile, Francis Forkey Doe, who is known for his misconduct both on and off the field, last appeared for the Lonestar in the 1-1 draw at home against Guinea Bissau in October 2015. The Malaysian base striker was axed out of the squad by Coach Debbah before the return leg away at Guinea Bissau. Debbah later revealed that the problematic striker was axed for failing to live by the guidelines put in place for players of the national team. For a record three times, Doe has been expelled from the national team for his behavior.
Also invited is Patrick Nyemah Gedhardt who is without a club since the close of the 2015 Malaysia Super League where he played for Sawarak FA.
Goal keepers:
Tommy Songo – (LISCR, Liberia)
Mulbah Urey – (Barrack Young Controllers)
Gallay James – (Watanga FC, Liberia)
Defenders:
Solomon Grimes –(Nea Salamis Famagusta, Cyprus)
Trokon Zeon – (LPRC Oilers, Liberia)
Gizzie Dorbor – (Hapoel Afula, Israel)
Hilton Varney – (Barrack Young Controllers, Liberia)
Teah Dennis – (Al- Ahli, Jordan)
Dirkir Glay – ( Persiba Balikpapan, Indonesia)
Alvin Maccornel – ( Barrack Young Controllers)
Midfielders:
Theo Weeks – ( ErmisAradippou, Cyprus)
Patrick Nyema Gehardt – (unattached)
Anthony Laffor – (MamelodiSundowns, South Africa)
Zah Krangar – (FELDA United, Malaysia)
Alseny Keita – (Jeanne d’Arc de Drancy, France)
Dioh Williams – (Gefle IF, Sweden)
Kpah Sherman (Santos FC Cape Town, South Africa)
Dauda Bortu – (SK Bareum-Norway)
Tonia Tisdell- (Karsiyaka / Karabükspor, Turkey)
Sekou Jabateh Oliseh – (Astra Giurgiu, Romania)
Forward:
William Jebor -(SD Ponferradina, Spain)
Sam Johnson – (Djurgårdens, Sweden)
Sekou Conneh – (Bethlehem Steel FC, USA)
Francis Grandpa Forkey Doe – (Felda United-Malaysia)
Featured photo courtesy of Liberia Football Association
