MONROVIA, Montserrado – The Ministry of Youth and Sports has confirmed to The Bush Chicken that there are ongoing negotiations between Liberia and Sierra Leone over a possible friendly match to be played in July. The reports were confirmed by the deputy minister of youth and sports, G. Andy Quamie.
The deputy minister said the communication has been sent to the Sierra Leone Football Association and the Youth Ministry was waiting the approval. Quamie said the match would be part of Liberia’s 171st Independence Day celebration.
The match, which will be the 16th meeting between the two teams, is expected to be played on Sunday, July 22 at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in Paynesville. With Liberia’s excellent record over Sierra Leone, there are hopes of Liberia securing a win despite the nation’s poor performance in recent times.
The two countries have met 15 times with Liberia showing supremacy with more wins. Lone Star has a record of 8 wins, 4 draws, and 3 defeats from the 15 previous meetings. The two sides recently played on June 5, 2017 in an international friendly at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium. Former LISCR Football Club’s striker Christopher Jackson scored the only goal to hand the Sierra Leoneans a narrow 1-0 defeat.
However, despite the announcement of a future match, Liberia has not had a head coach for the senior national team since November 2017, when the Liberia Football Association suspended the contracts of all national team coaches because of the lack of competition and the increase of unpaid salaries.
The secretary general of the Liberia Football Association, Emmanuel O. Deah, confirmed to The Bush Chicken that an announcement about a coach for the match is expected to be made soon.
“We have a meeting with the ministry. It is from that meeting the decision will be made. We haven’t set up a date, but the meeting is anytime soon,†Deah said.
Featured photo by T. Kla Wesley Jr.
