2016 Olympics: Ebola-hit Liberia seeks to play its home qualifier against Ghana in Accra

The Liberian FA has officially requested to have its Olympic team host their qualifying games for next year’s Caf U-23 Championship in Ghana.

The West African country is gradually recovering from the Ebola pandemic that had denied them of hosting football games for many months and want the Ghana government approval to use their neighbours’ grounds as home venue for three rounds of qualifiers.

The Liberia U-23 team have a date with Ghana’s Black Meteors in the first of three rounds to determine seven teams who will join new hosts Senegal for the second edition of the tournament early next year.

DR Congo had originally won the rights to host the Caf U-23 Championship from December 5-19, 2015 but their government later withdrew to concentrate on an impending general elections.

It is true a letter came from the Liberia requesting to be allowed to host their U-23 qualifiers in Ghana but that decision is not for us to decide.”

“We just played our All-Africa Games qualifier in Tamale last Sunday and we are meeting this week to decide if to continue with the venue for our home game against Liberia in two weeks’ time.”

“If the government permits them to host their qualifiers here, we will welcome it,” a member of the Black Meteors management team told supersport.com.

Ghana is scheduled to host the first leg on the weekend of April 24-26 with the return encounter set for May 8-10 – an approval of Liberia’s request means both legs will be hosted in Ghana.

Ghana and Liberia’s path to the Caf U-23 Championship in Senegal will be defined by two crucial hurdles against Congo over two legs in the second round as well as Nigeria’s Dream Team in the third round. The ultimate victor in the ensuing games, picks the ticket to Dakar.

Eight teams will compete at the U-23 Championship with the top three teams from the securing tickets to represent Africa at the 2016 Summer Olympics men's football tournament.

Caf U-23 Championship Qualifying Schedule

First Round

First Leg – 24–26 April 2015

2nd Leg – 8–10 May 2015

Second Round

First Leg – 22–24 May 2015

2nd Leg – 29–31 May 2015

Third Round

First Leg – 17–19 July 2015

2nd Leg – 31 July–2 August 2015

Source: SuperSport