Editorial: Congratulations…Lone Star, But

On Wednesday, February 29, 2012, the National Team of Liberia-the Lone Star, recorded its first victory at home under an all Liberian technical staff led by Acting Head Coach Thomas Kojo. Inspired by a visit to their dressing room by a few influential members of the “George Weah Eleven” led by former soccer icon and one-time all international awards winner George Oppong Weah during the first half break, the Lone netted a lone goal through striker Dioh Williams, sending thousands of home fans into celebrations.

Like others on the continent, Wednesday’s Liberia-Namibia encounter at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium was the first leg in the series of qualifying games for the 2013 Orange Africa Cup of Nations scheduled for South Africa. Though Liberia’s victory did not meet the much anticipated expectations of home fans and supporters, players of the National Team must be showered with the warmest necessary platitudes for undertaking such a rescue mission.

While we consider Lone Star’s victory as a good beginning, unlike the last qualifying series for Equatorial Guinea and Gabon 2012, we also anticipate that the current group of players will be maintained and that politics will be kept away from the job of Thomas Kojo and his team.

Even though our joy for Wednesday’s victory over Namibia may not be as overwhelming as it should be due to wasted golden chances and misdirected shots on goal during the 90-minutes of actions, we strongly believe that the technical staff will exert all efforts to ensure that shots on target are very calculative.

Despite the fact that the Lone Star may not have scored the much-anticipated goals to put it in a solid and comfortable position, ball coordination and communication upfront and in the midfield was good. However, Central defender Jimmy Dixon’s exit from the match due to injuries, created some nervous moments due to poor communication-thanks to goalkeeper Nathaniel Sherman.

If the Lone Star is to make the progress expected of it, FA President Musa Bility and his administration must look up the team’s new technical staff to re-organize and maintain the current players, most especially the starting eleven. We are of the fervent belief that should the current players be kept together, so shall they be as a team, and victory, mainly at home, will be certain.

Again, Coach Thomas Kojo and other members of the technical staff, as well as the Lone Star playing body must be congratulated for Wednesday’s 1-0 victory over Namibia. Liberian fans and supporters must also be praised for their moral support before and during the game.