15th September, 2012
Liberia President, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has rewarded the Lone Star with the sum of $75,000.00 for their recent brilliant performances against Nigeria and Ghana.
Reports from Monrovia say Sirleaf presented a symbolic cheque of $75,000 to the Liberia senior national team at an appreciation ceremony held this week at the Foreign Ministry. The Liberian leader commended the country’s football body, LFA, including the technical staff and players for their splendid performances against the Super Eagles of Nigeria and Black Stars of Ghana in their last two matches respectively.
“You people made the nation proud and I am very encouraged with the spirit, and the manner in which you played against Nigeria in the first leg of the Nations Cup qualifier and the friendly tie with Ghana,” she said.
The president is glad that the Liberian side played 2-2 draw against Nigeria and defeated Ghana’s Black Stars 2-0 in a friendly match.
Sirleaf said she is hopeful that the Lone Star will defeat Nigeria in the second leg of the qualifier in Calabar next month, and qualify for the 2013 African Cup of Nations.
She then pledged her government’s support to the team to keep the high momentum among the players and technical staff. She now wants Liberia to become a force to reckon with on the continent and international sports in the world.
She noted that the support to the players will be done in a better and permanent way to avoid catering for the players only when they play games.
“We will discuss with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Liberia Football Association to know how to treat the players, they should not only be looked after when there is a game,” she added.
The Liberian sports’ Chief Patron showered her blessings on the team to enable the red, white and blue colors fly in South Africa next January at the expense of Nigeria.
Receiving the symbolic Cheque on behalf of the squad, Captain George Gebro commended the Liberia President for rewarding the national team, and assured Sirleaf and the Liberian people that the Lone Star will defeat Nigeria when they clash early October.