This year’s West Africa Football Union (WAFU) Under-20 tournament will kick off today at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex, with Liberia facing a tricky contest against the Ivory Coast in the opener.
Ivory Coast is replacing Cape Verde who earlier withdrew from the tournament.
In Group A. Liberia, the host nation will welcome Ivory Coast in the competition opener 16:00 GMT before Sierra Leone battles it out with Guinea Bissau three hours later.
Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, and Mali and all participating teams arrived safely to honour their various fixtures in the WAFU U20 Liberia.
Senegal and Cote d Ivoire have been tipped by African Pundits favourites to win the tournament.
All group encounters are expected to be played between the 24th and the 29th of April before a two-day break for semi-finals matches, which will be played on May 2.
According to schedule, the final will be played on the 5th of May at the SKD stadium and all visiting teams will depart the capital of Liberia on Sunday, May 6.
“I can confirm all teams have arrived in the country to kick-start the tournament. Yesterday I was able to receive Senegal, Cote d Ivoire, Mali and all teams have been placed at their respective hotels,” Andy Quamie Liberia Deputy Minister of Sports to our correspondent.
“As a government, we want to use sports as one organ to rebrand our country that why the government is in 100% support to ensure this tournament is a success,” he said.
By Our African Correspondent in Liberia Prince Scott – Follow the writer @PrinceArmaniSc2