By Wleh Bedell
Whether it is a late minute call- up or not, Malaysia Super League club Kuching City linchpin Abu Razard Kamara has been invited by the Lone Star technical crew for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers vs Malawi and Equatorial Guinea at the SKD stadium on November 17 and 20 respectively.
Abu who has 12 goals in the current Malaysian top flight and the goals in the MFL Challenge Cup, will join his international teammates to secure an opening win in the qualifiers.
It can be recollected that on June 11, 1989, in a 1990 World Cup qualifier, Liberia Lone Star pinned the Flames of Malawi 1-0 via a George Weah goal, courtesy of an assist from James Debbah, a flick on the chest to Weah for the only goal of the duel.
Under Coach Rueben Malola, the Flames entered the fray with two points from a 1-1 away draw to Kenya Harambee Stars and a 1-1 home draw vs the Pharaohs of Egypt.
While Walter Pelham’s Lone Star entered the contest with one point from two games.
A 2-0 loss away to Egypt and a goalless draw at home to Kenya.
The Malawian Captain Young Chidmodze who led the attack and the uncompromising Lawrence Waya gave a good account of themselves despite “Operation Crush Malawi” launched by Chief Patron of Sports; president Samuel Kanyon Doe and made successful by Lone Star mobilization committee chairman; Alhaji G. V. Kromah, then President of Mighty Barrolle and Director General of the Liberia Broadcasting System( LBS). Malawi however took plenty of positives from the loss.
Head to head favors the Lone Star with two wins and a draw, but history plays a little part in sports because there are new players and new tactics, and certainly things have changed between both sides.
The Lone Star of Liberia first debuted in the 1982 World Cup qualifiers.
Sudan, Togo, Zimbabwe and Liberia got byes to the second round after wish the Lone Star were paired against Guinea in Round Two.
On December 7 1980, both teams played to a goalless draw at the ATS and in the second leg, a 55th minute goal from Bangoura saw the Lone Star packing with Guinea cruisingat the September 28, stadium to face Nigeria who eliminated them
