AFCON 2027 (Q): the trap experienced by Liberia in Rwanda

Everything was going perfectly. Housed at the M Hotel, a four-star hotel in Kigali seven kilometers from the Amahoro Stadium, the Liberian team benefitted from optimal preparation for its first qualifying match for the next AFCON.

Arriving five days before the game, the staff had received its players little by little according to the schedules and flights of a squad scattered across the world (Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Botswana, United States, Moldova, Czech Republic, Sweden…).

Finally all together on the night of the 23rd, less than 48 hours before the match, Liberia trained without issue on the eve of their debut, never imagining for a moment that their preparation would be thrown off on game day.

Hotel search by Rwandan authorities two hours before the match

With kickoff at 6pm, the Lone Stars had planned on leaving calmly in the afternoon due to the proximity of Amahoro Stadium. However, two members of the Rwandan authorities burst into the lobby of the M Hotel, explaining that a full inspection of the luggage was to be carried out.

Trying to understand what was happening, the Liberian delegation tried to negotiate with one of the men. On duty and armed, he insisted it was a necessary security protocol. “You cannot leave the hotel,” he repeated while checking all the squad's luggage and members with a special scanner, alone. “Why did you wait until right before the match to do this?,” complained a Liberian official. “On top of that, he was alone! They could have brought police dogs and several people, it would have been sorted out in a few minutes. Instead, we had to wait and wait... ”

It was only shortly before 5pm that the national team was released and could take the bus to Amahoro Stadium. However, unlike standard protocol, there was no escort present. Blocked for some time in traffic, sometimes slowed without knowing the reason, the team only arrived near the venue forty-five minutes before kickoff—but the problems did not end there.

The equipment bus blocked, just a few minutes to warm up

Finally on site, the players still could not begin their warm-up because the bus carrying all the equipment (including the jerseys) was blocked at the stadium entrance. Forced to do a full loop through traffic again, the vehicle was finally able to park a quarter hour before kickoff.

Pulling on their boots and changing as fast as possible, the players only had seven or eight minutes to warm up before starting the match. This truncated preparation had an immediate cost: Rwanda scored just two minutes in.

Taking a good quarter hour to get into the game, Liberia quickly found themselves down 2-0 before pulling one back, then conceding a penalty just before halftime. Protesting vigorously, the staff became animated after the break when a shot was deflected by a Rwandan defender's shoulder inside the penalty area. Not awarding a penalty, Zambian referee Hillary Hambaba shortly after expelled forward Kpah Sherman for what was judged a high foot.

Not understanding the decision (he pulled his foot away before touching his opponent), the Liberian protested in vain. On the bench, his coach, Moroccan Mohammed Adil Erradi—who knew Rwanda very well, having won three championships with APR—lashed out at the fourth official, but nothing changed: Liberia lost 3-1.

Complaint to come to CAF?

Gathering information from multiple sources, Sport News Africa learned that a complaint denouncing the treatment on match day should be sent to CAF by the Liberian Federation. The latter also wants to raise an important point: why do AFCON qualifiers not have VAR?

A legitimate question which obviously will not cancel the result in Kigali but promises quite a heated reception for the return leg in Monrovia on March 24, 2027.