Africa-Press – Liberia. The result underscores the urgent need for Liberia to bolster its squad, particularly with players plying their trade overseas, and to improve preparations ahead of key fixtures.
Paynesville – The Lone Star of Liberia, under Romanian coach Mario Marinica, faced their toughest test yet since his appointment, suffering a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Algeria in round two of the Morocco 2025 AFCON qualifiers. The match, held at the Samuel Kanyon Doe (SKD) Sports Complex, marked a sobering reality check for the team, which had previously secured 1-1 and 0-0 draws against Algeria in earlier AFCON qualifiers.
Following an encouraging 1-1 draw away to Togo last Friday in their opening match, expectations were high among Lone Star supporters for a positive result against Algeria. However, the North Africans dominated the encounter, starting with two first-half goals from 24-year-old Amine Gouiri of Rennes in France and midfielder Ahmed Zorgane of Belgian club Sporting Charleroi.
Liberian goalkeeper Abdulai Koulibaly was replaced by Tommy Songo, but the defensive struggles continued. Algeria sealed the 3-0 victory in the second half with a goal from 32-year-old striker Baghdad Bounedjah, who plays for Qatar’s Al Shamal. The defeat marked the second-largest loss Liberia has endured on home soil against a North African team, the first being a 5-0 thrashing by Morocco in the 1982 AFCON qualifiers at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium.
The result underscores the urgent need for Liberia to bolster its squad, particularly with players plying their trade overseas, and to improve preparations ahead of key fixtures. Last-minute preparations have often left local players to shoulder the burden in the weeks leading up to matches, and this latest setback highlights the need for deeper structural changes.
Liberia now sits at the bottom of Group E in the qualifiers with one point and a -3-goal difference. Equatorial Guinea also has one point but with a -2-goal difference, Togo sits in second with two points, while Algeria tops the group with six points from two games.
Despite the defeat, coach Mario Marinica expressed gratitude to the fans for their unwavering support, stating that it motivated the team throughout the match. Speaking to the press afterward, he praised the surprising level of enthusiasm from the crowd and noted that with such continued support, Liberia has the potential to become one of Africa’s top national teams.
Reflecting on the loss, Coach Mario acknowledged Algeria’s superiority, admitting that the Lone Star showed too much respect to the visitors, which contributed to their two first-half goals. As Liberia looks to regroup, the road to qualification for the 2025 Morocco AFCON tournament will require a significant improvement in performance.
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