11th October, 2012
Notwithstanding the pedigree of the Super Eagles in world football, ex-captain of Liberia’s Lone Star, Anthony Laffour, believes his country stand a better chance to qualify ahead of Nigeria for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations Cup.
Speaking on Truth FM, a radio station in Moronvia, Laffour said that Liberia are looking forward to this Saturday’s match in Calabar, Cross River State with high hopes. “It is one of the biggest games in recent times in the history of Liberian football and you don’t get the chance to face such an opposition all the time. Nigeria is our big brother on the continent but it will be nice to make it to South Africa 2013 at their expense. It’s been long since we played at the African Cup of Nations and we believe we have a chance this time around,” said Laffour, who plays professional football for the South African club Mamelodi Sundowns, as a winger.
“Nigeria have good players and we respect them for that. In football, it important you respect your opponents for their qualities and what they do on the field of play. On the field of play, it is going to be 22 men slugging it out against each other. We are not thinking about their history or what they have achieved but qualifying ahead of them.
“We beat Nigeria at home in Monrovia in 2001 and could have defeated them in the return fixture but for some mistakes. The Nigerian team that played against us in the first leg is one that we can beat and it would be great to do that for our people back home in Liberia,” he said.