Liberia Beats São Tomé 1-0, Moves to 3rd in Group H - FrontPageAfrica
Source: Front Page Africa
Author: Christopher C. Walker
Monrovia -The "Lone Star" of Liberia has moved to Third place in Group G of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers following a hard fought 1-0 win over the Falcons and True Parrots Team of Sao Tome and Principe on Sunday in Morocco.
By: Christopher C Walker [email protected] 0777898224/0886723075
It was substitute Sheikh Sesay who netted the lone and important goal that saw the red, white and blue outfit secured seventh points from four matches in a quest to challenge for a better position in the group.
Mario Marinica's men started on a slow pace and failed to create any clear-cut scoring chances in the first half of the match. The second half became inspiring when Marinica made several changes bringing on Peter Wilson to combine with Terry Sackor upfront.
Sao Tome and Principe with no point in the group came close on two occasions in the second half but their strikers failed to make use of the opportunity.
With lack of creativity in the Lone Star attack, Coach Mario Marinica brought on William Gibson and Peter Wilson who collaborated well with the rest of the players to create the goal for Liberia.
Wilson's presence upfront created threats for the home side defense who found it difficult to control. With time running out, Sesay was brought on to replace Terry Sackor in the 88 minute and he lasted two minutes to smash home the lone goal in the 90 minute after his set pick hit the bar and he follow-up with a shot that beat the Sao Tome and Principe keeper.
Lone Star defense stood their ground for the remainder of the minutes to secure another away win for Marinica and to keep his undefeated record straight.
Goalkeeper Abdulai Koulibaly who made his fourth straight start for Liberia earned his third clean sheet.
The team has competed in four games, without defeat under a dominant local-based squad, winning two matches and drawing two. In the preliminary rounds of the Morocco 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, "Lone Star" demonstrated its strength by eliminating Djibouti to reach the Group Stage.
Coach Marinicā's tactics and the squad's efforts were evident in securing a 2-0 victory and a 0-0 draw against Djibouti. Continuing their form, Liberia settled for a 1-1 draw against Namibia in a crucial Match-Day three fixture of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
The team bounced back in Match-Day four, delivering a solid 1-0 victory over Sao Tomé and Príncipe. With seven points from four games in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, "Lone Star" has shown consistency and a competitive spirit on the field.
Coach Marinicā's strategic direction and the team's dedication have been instrumental in achieving the needed result so far. The team's recent performances suggest a bright future ahead, building momentum and fueling optimism among fans and stakeholders. Liberia moved third in the group with seven points, after Namibia held Tunisia to a goalless draw also on Sunday.
