Lone Star’s Amputees Reach Final Again

The Liberia national Amputee football team, the Lone Star has made it to the 3rd straight final of the Amputee African Cup of Nation in Nairobi, Kenya. The Liberian Amputee striker Boye Khakie’s penalty kick beats Ghana’s Emmanuel Amponsah, powering the Lone Star into their 3rd straight final.

The team had earlier missed the 1st of three official kicks through Captain Festus Harrison whose ball was saved.  Khakie, the strongest pillar in the Liberian defense, capitalized on Mubarik Adamu’s miss of Ghana’s share of one additional kick. The regular 50 minutes plus stoppage time ended 1-1.

Lone Star’s Patrick Saah fired the home side ahead 10 minutes into the 2nd half, but Ghana’s Kofi Asare led a counterattack, breaking into the Lone Star’s defense to secure the equalizer.

Patrick rated himself man of the match for his impressive form, shooting on target 11 times, alternating between defense and attack, as well as assisting teammates up front; mainly Festus Harrison who had clear scoring chances in the opening of proceedings, but all of his three close-range efforts were saved.

Meanwhile, Angola-Nigeria match and other semifinal will determine who plays Liberia in Thursday’s final.  The Amputee Lone Star central defender Boye Khakie wept after Ghana missed her final kick during the penalty period. The City Stadium in Nairobi erupted into big celebration as players of the Lone Star embraced one another gleefully after crushing Ghana twice in succession.

This year’s semi final between Liberia and Ghana is a repeat of the 2011 grand final in Accra, when the Amputee Lone Star again eliminated their Ghanaian counterpart in penalty shoot-out after 3-3 draw.