Africa-Press – Liberia. Liberia’s bid for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has come to an end following a decisive 3-0 defeat to Tunisia on Thursday night. The loss, compounded by what head coach Thomas Kojo described as critical “technical mistakes,” mathematically eliminated the Lone Star from advancing.
“From my own analysis, I think we made a lot of technical mistakes that led to our defeat,” Kojo told reporters after the match. “But in all fairness, Tunisia showed they wanted to win.”
The Carthage Eagles capitalized on Liberian errors early, with the opening goal coming just five minutes in after defender Mark Pabai’s miscalculated back pass.
Liberia’s troubles worsened when goalkeeper Tommy Songo twice misjudged plays, first by leaving his line and later by conceding a well-placed free kick.
Despite moments of resilience, the Lone Star could not recover, leaving the home fans at the Hammadi Agrebi Stadium to celebrate.
With Tunisia now at 19 points in the group standings, Liberia remains in third place with 10 points, ending all hopes of reaching the World Cup or a playoff spot.
A Focus on the Future
Despite the immediate disappointment, Kojo maintained that the defeat is part of a larger rebuilding effort for the national team.
“There is a lot of work now being put in place in Liberia to build a new national team,” he said.
“We have many young players who are developing, and in a few years, with the football association’s development programs, I believe Liberia will get better.”
The Lone Star will next face Namibia away on September 8 in a match that carries no weight in the standings but offers a chance for the team to regroup and continue its long-term development.
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