Liberia 2-0 Uganda
Uganda Cranes suffered its first defeat of the 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign losing to Liberia 2-0 in a match played Sunday evening at the Samuel Doe Sports Complex.
A goal in each half from Patrick Wleah and Anthony Laffour were enough to sink the Uganda Cranes who wasted a number of chances through Emmanuel Okwi.
Liberia started the game on a high dominating possession and creating problems for Uganda but the visitors had the first clear cut chance of the game in the 5th minute when Okwi raced on to a through ball but was fouled by Liberian goalie Nathaniel Sherman on the edge of the 18 yard box before he could slot home. Sherman got booked but the resultant free kick from Geoffrey Massa went over the bar.
However, Denis Guma was to thank two minute later for a goal line clearance after Anthony Laffour had chipped the ball over Onyango in goal.
From then on, the Lone Stars piled pressure on the Cranes and their efforts were paid in the 31st minute when Malaysia based Patrick Wleah broke the deadlock. Despite endless attacks and dominance from the hosts from that moment, the Cranes resisted and it ended 1-0 in the first half.
The Liberians started off from where they had ended in the first half and Mamelodi Sundowns striker, Anthony Laffour doubled their lead three minutes after restart.
At 2-0, Coach Bobby Williamson introduced Robert Ssentongo for Mike Mutyaba, Boban Zirintusa for Emmanuel Okwi and later Said Kyeyune for Moses Oloya but all in vain. The closest the Cranes came to getting at least a consolation goal was in the 77th minute when Zirintusa hit the woodwork.
Coincidentally, Uganda’s last visit to Liberia in 1999 also ended in a 2-0 defeat. The loss implies that Uganda is now bottom of group J on two points while Liberia which started the game bottom of the log now goes second with four points. Senegal still leads the group on five while Angola is third with three points. Each nation has played three games.
Uganda’s next fixture is against Liberia in June.