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| The Bility Family Association Inc. A Family on The Horizon 145 POWELL LANE UPPER DARBY, PA. 19082 |
At the time of writing, the national soccer team of Liberia, Lone Star, was counting its steps, as to whether it has any
reason to think there is a chance for its qualification in the second round of matches to the 2010 World Cup and
African Cup of nations’ series.
So far, the team has tried its strength in four encounters: it drew one all with The Gambia and lost to Algeria (3-0) and
managed a two-all draw with Senegal in Monrovia and finally lost (1-3) to the same side in its return-leg encounter in
Dakar, Senegal.
The team's overall performance indicates that it is somehow stronger at home, and sometimes in the final minutes of a
90-minute grueling and bone-shaking encounter.
The first encounter with The Gambia saw the Liberians claiming a face-saving draw in the final minutes of the game.
The Algeria encounter brought the weakness of the playing team, as its defensemen, the men in the rear, could not
hold themselves in check.
The first goal against Lone Star came from a long distance shot, volleyed into the 18-yard zone, as the defenders
fumbled, searching for the ball, allowing the Algerian striker the easiest job of tapping the ball home with glee. And may
be you want to know where the Liberian goalkeeper was at the time? Well, he was just not where he was expected to
be. Call that poor timing or misplacement!
The second goal was also a long shot, which sadly beat the goalkeeper to his game. Watching the Youtube video will
make you wonder whether the goalkeeper had enough troubles of his own.
And the third goal came as a result of a penalty kick and you know the result.
The team's most impressive performance was when the Terenga Lions of Senegal swooped over the city of Monrovia.
At the time, after ten Liberians lost their lives in the Gambian match United Nations police on the ground helped out
this time, and an advice from FIFA, ensured that the game was incident-free, just that Liberians sat on tenterhooks for
nearly eighty minutes before the Lone Star rose to the occasion, claiming one point with an incredible performance,
securing a 2-2 draw.
Though that performance revived the nation as to the team’s chances, keen observers might have seen it differently.
“I know it was a face-saving thing,” said James Wanda, “the team just played its best.”
And its best could not win the game.
With indiscipline rocking the boat of Lone Star, the team mounted its fourth encounter in Senegal, with what some
media reported as a determination to win in Dakar.
But in the end, Lone Star lost. Playing four games to earn two points, with two outstanding games whose results cannot
be awarded to Liberia may indicate the team’s final days in the competition.
I am not sure but I think we must call on James Kukolo Fasuekoi to implore the traditional gods in Yealla, Lofa County,
or we should call on the Christians to supplicate Jesus Christ or to call on our Muslim brothers and sisters to request
for Allah's mercy to revive Lone Star’s fortunes.
The above suggestion may be necessary since Liberia may be suffering as a result of the irreverence done to Kendeja
Cultural Center, selling the center, against protests from those who would not see the need for the sale of the center.
The future, as far as Lone Star's participation in the second round of the 2010 Games are concerned, seems
uncertain, forcing German coach Antoine Hey to consider resigning his job.
The disappointing atmosphere and feeling in Liberian communities around the world and at home should remind us
that the more we fail to plan, the more we un-plan to fail. There is mounting of evidence that Liberia did not have a
team worth its name to better represent the nation in such prestigious games. And officials in Monrovia were aware of
this, three months before the competitions began.
But since sometimes political expediency is more important than the pride of the people, short-sighted choices override
common sense, and the result is the mediocre performance and result that we are left with today.
Perhaps, we must accept Liberia's participation as always, having done well, and make some excuses, since we have
had fourteen years of war.
But then when we realize that neighboring Sierra Leone, whose war experience involved the losing of legs and hands,
are doing better than us, then, we can understand that our failure was "failing to plan," and as a result, reaping
disappointing results.
Let's hope that some lessons have been learned from this difficult journey, and maybe the Lone Star can be
encouraged to play the remaining two games, one against Algeria at home and the last one against The Gambia away
with pride.
reason to think there is a chance for its qualification in the second round of matches to the 2010 World Cup and
African Cup of nations’ series.
So far, the team has tried its strength in four encounters: it drew one all with The Gambia and lost to Algeria (3-0) and
managed a two-all draw with Senegal in Monrovia and finally lost (1-3) to the same side in its return-leg encounter in
Dakar, Senegal.
The team's overall performance indicates that it is somehow stronger at home, and sometimes in the final minutes of a
90-minute grueling and bone-shaking encounter.
The first encounter with The Gambia saw the Liberians claiming a face-saving draw in the final minutes of the game.
The Algeria encounter brought the weakness of the playing team, as its defensemen, the men in the rear, could not
hold themselves in check.
The first goal against Lone Star came from a long distance shot, volleyed into the 18-yard zone, as the defenders
fumbled, searching for the ball, allowing the Algerian striker the easiest job of tapping the ball home with glee. And may
be you want to know where the Liberian goalkeeper was at the time? Well, he was just not where he was expected to
be. Call that poor timing or misplacement!
The second goal was also a long shot, which sadly beat the goalkeeper to his game. Watching the Youtube video will
make you wonder whether the goalkeeper had enough troubles of his own.
And the third goal came as a result of a penalty kick and you know the result.
The team's most impressive performance was when the Terenga Lions of Senegal swooped over the city of Monrovia.
At the time, after ten Liberians lost their lives in the Gambian match United Nations police on the ground helped out
this time, and an advice from FIFA, ensured that the game was incident-free, just that Liberians sat on tenterhooks for
nearly eighty minutes before the Lone Star rose to the occasion, claiming one point with an incredible performance,
securing a 2-2 draw.
Though that performance revived the nation as to the team’s chances, keen observers might have seen it differently.
“I know it was a face-saving thing,” said James Wanda, “the team just played its best.”
And its best could not win the game.
With indiscipline rocking the boat of Lone Star, the team mounted its fourth encounter in Senegal, with what some
media reported as a determination to win in Dakar.
But in the end, Lone Star lost. Playing four games to earn two points, with two outstanding games whose results cannot
be awarded to Liberia may indicate the team’s final days in the competition.
I am not sure but I think we must call on James Kukolo Fasuekoi to implore the traditional gods in Yealla, Lofa County,
or we should call on the Christians to supplicate Jesus Christ or to call on our Muslim brothers and sisters to request
for Allah's mercy to revive Lone Star’s fortunes.
The above suggestion may be necessary since Liberia may be suffering as a result of the irreverence done to Kendeja
Cultural Center, selling the center, against protests from those who would not see the need for the sale of the center.
The future, as far as Lone Star's participation in the second round of the 2010 Games are concerned, seems
uncertain, forcing German coach Antoine Hey to consider resigning his job.
The disappointing atmosphere and feeling in Liberian communities around the world and at home should remind us
that the more we fail to plan, the more we un-plan to fail. There is mounting of evidence that Liberia did not have a
team worth its name to better represent the nation in such prestigious games. And officials in Monrovia were aware of
this, three months before the competitions began.
But since sometimes political expediency is more important than the pride of the people, short-sighted choices override
common sense, and the result is the mediocre performance and result that we are left with today.
Perhaps, we must accept Liberia's participation as always, having done well, and make some excuses, since we have
had fourteen years of war.
But then when we realize that neighboring Sierra Leone, whose war experience involved the losing of legs and hands,
are doing better than us, then, we can understand that our failure was "failing to plan," and as a result, reaping
disappointing results.
Let's hope that some lessons have been learned from this difficult journey, and maybe the Lone Star can be
encouraged to play the remaining two games, one against Algeria at home and the last one against The Gambia away
with pride.