Liberia summon 16 foreign-based call-ups for Bafana Bafana clash

Liberia coach Ansu Keita has summoned 16 foreign-based players for this month’s 2023 AFCON Group K qualifier doubleheader against Bafana Bafana.

The Lone Stars will be away in the first leg on March 24 in Johannesburg and will later host South Africa in Monrovia on March 28.

Eight out of the eleven call-ups from last June’s 2-0 home loss to Morocco under ex-coach Peter Butler have made the cut for the Englishman’s replacement.

Former Liberian Under-17 coach Keita is the new man in charge. He took over from Butler in late January after the latter’s contract was not renewed.

Seven of Keita’s overseas call-ups started against Morocco including defenders Prince Balde of Al Diwanyah in Iraq, Slovenian-based Mark Pabai plus the Czech-based duo of Samson Dweh and Oscar Dorley.

In addition, midfielder and captain Brem Soumaoro of Canadian side York City FC has made the team.

LIBERIA COACH GIVES SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP STAR A CALL-UP

Keita has also handed a debut call-up to 20-year-old midfielder Nohan Kenneth of Scottish Premiership club Ross Country who is currently on loan at Hibernian.

Kenneth was born in Liberia and moved to the United Kingdom with his parents when he was six years old.

Missing is the Malaysian-base trio of Kpah Sherman, Marcus Macaulay and Abu Kamara.

Meanwhile, Keita has spent his first month on the job holding weekly training camps over the last three weeks with 25 home-based players in Monrovia.

 Liberian media reports say that seven local players will make the trip to South Africa.

Liberia is will fly out from Monrovia on March 19 for the first leg match to be played at Orlando Stadium.

The Samuel K. Doe Stadium will host the final leg of the tie.

Liberia and Bafana will be playing for their first points in Group K following their respective defeats to Morocco who lead the pool on maximum 6 points.

Morocco is on bye in the three-team Group K where the fourth side Zimbabwe is still serving a FIFA ban due to government interface in ZIFA’s affairs.

But the Atlas Lions have a busy March schedule with two friendlies against Brazil at home in Tangier on March 25 and Peru away in Madrid, Spain on March 28.

LIBERIA SQUAD

DEFENDERS: 𝗝𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗼 (𝗔𝗹 𝗔𝗵𝗹𝘆 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗵𝗮z𝗶, 𝗟𝗶𝗯𝘆𝗮), 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗹𝗱  (𝗔𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘆𝗮𝗵, 𝗜𝗿a𝗾). 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗽𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝘄𝗲𝗵 (𝗠𝗙𝗞 𝗩𝘆𝘀𝗸𝗼𝘃 , 𝗖𝘇𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗥𝗲𝗽.). 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝗣𝗮𝗯𝗮𝗶 (𝗧𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝘇𝗮𝗻𝗮, 𝗦𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗮), 𝗢𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗿 𝗗𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗲𝘆  (𝗦𝗹𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗮 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗴𝘂𝗲 ,𝗖𝘇𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗥𝗲𝗽)

MIDFIELDERS: 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗺 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗼𝗿𝗼 ( 𝗬𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱, 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗱𝗮), 𝗠𝗼𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗲 (𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗼𝗻, 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱). J𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗺 𝗔𝗱𝘂𝗸𝗼𝗿 (𝗨𝗻𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱), N𝗼𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗞𝗲𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗵. (R𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆 ,𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘁𝗹a𝗻𝗱), 𝗔𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻 𝗡𝗷𝗶𝗲 (𝗙𝗖 𝗔𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘂, 𝗦𝘄𝗶𝘁𝘇𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱). 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗺𝗼𝗻 (𝗗𝗲𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘀, 𝗦𝘄𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗻). 𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗧𝗶𝘀𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗹 (𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗴𝗮𝘆𝗶𝘁, 𝗔𝘇𝗲𝗿𝗯𝗮𝗶𝗷𝗮𝗻), T𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗮 𝗧𝗶𝘀d𝗲𝗹𝗹  (𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺 𝗘𝗴𝘆p𝘁 ,𝗘𝗴𝘆𝗽𝘁)

FORWARDS: 𝗣𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝘀𝗼𝗻 (𝗙𝗞 𝗝𝗲𝗿𝘃, 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝘆), 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺 𝗝𝗲𝗯𝗼𝗿 (𝗩𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁 , 𝗠𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗮), 𝗠𝗼𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗱 𝗞𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗮 (𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗼𝗲𝗹 𝗛𝗮𝗶𝗳𝗮, 𝗜𝘀𝗿𝗮𝗲𝗹).

RELATED STORY: Liberia clocking one month preparing for Bafana Bafana