Monrovia, Liberia - The President of the Republic, H. E. George Manneh Weah, has congratulated the national football team, the Lone Star, on their 1-0 victory over the Central African Republic in the 2022 Qatar World Cup Qualifier match.

The President said the victory was hard-earned and a demonstration of hard work and dedication on the part of the players and the technical staff.

President Weah said the game shows that the team can persevere through the ongoing qualification, noting that even though Lone Star lost to Nigeria, there was great improvement in the tactics and technical skills exhibited by the players.

The President lamented what he described as "two soft goals" the team conceded against Nigeria despite their superior performance.

He called on the players to use the victory to recommit themselves and be more determined, as progress in the world cup games can do wonders for their individual careers.

The Liberian Leader also reaffirmed that the government, through the Liberian Football Association, will continue to support the team and ensure that they remain the pride of the nation.

Meanwhile, the President has announced that FIFA has agreed to let Liberia play its next two home matches in Monrovia, provided the Liberian authorities can meet the acceptable standards for the match venue before the scheduled dates. He has therefore instructed the Ministry of Youth and Sports to work with the Liberia Football Association and other relevant stakeholders to ensure the SKD meets all the required standards in order to avoid the country next home games being played away.

The President has highlighted the importance of sports as a unifying force and called on all Liberians to rally around the Lone Star.