MONROVIA — Liberia’s Lone Star delivered a dominant, high-octane performance on Friday, outshooting and outpassing Rwanda on foreign soil, but fell to a devastating 3-1 defeat in their opening 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier in Kigali—a scoreline that brutally masked early signs of progress under new head coach Mohammed Adil Erradi.
Playing in his first competitive match in charge before thousands of roaring fans at the Amahoro Stadium—including Rwandan President Paul Kagame Erradi watched his side battle heroically, even after being reduced to 10 men for the final half-hour following a controversial straight red card shown to star striker Kpah Sean Sherman.
The hosts caught Liberia sleeping early, striking in the third minute when Abeddy Biramahire clinically finished a precise cross from Leroy-Jacques Mickels. Mickels then turned goalscorer in the 33rd minute, doubling the lead as the Amavubi threatened to run away with the contest.
Refusing to back down, Liberia struck back just five minutes later. Sylvanus Nimely pounced on a loose ball following a botched corner clearance, slamming home a crucial goal and hitting Cristiano Ronaldo’s iconic “Siuuu” celebration to ignite hopes of a thrilling comeback.
However, the momentum was instantly shattered just before halftime. Joy-Lance Mickels, who tormented the Liberian defense throughout the opening period, converted a penalty to restore Rwanda’s two-goal cushion heading into the break.
Liberia’s fightback hit a major roadblock in the 60th minute when Zambian referee Hillary Hambaba brandished a straight red card to Sherman for a high-stakes challenge on Bonheur Mugisha.
Yet, even down a man, the Lone Star staged a relentless assault. Liberia remarkably finished the match controlling 51.8% of possession, raining 17 shots on Rwanda’s goal compared to the hosts’ 12. Erradi’s men dominated every statistical metric—winning the corner count 5-1, completing 407 passes to Rwanda’s 377, winning double the tackles (10 to 5), and committing a disciplined eight fouls compared to Rwanda’s aggressive 19.
While the numbers paint a picture of a side that commanded the park, created abundant chances, and showed immense character, defensive lapses in the first half and missed opportunities ultimately proved fatal.
The victory hands Rwanda an early three points at the top of Group K, which also features regional powerhouses Mali and Cape Verde. Mali claimed a matching 3-1 victory over Cape Verde in the group’s other opening encounter.
While the agonizing loss leaves zero room for error, the courageous performance provides coach Erradi with a powerful foundation as Liberia continues its high-stakes campaign to reach its first Africa Cup of Nations tournament since 2002.
The Lone Star will look to turn promise into points when they host Mali in a high-stakes Group K clash on Tuesday, September 29, at 7:00 PM at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex in Paynesville.
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