MONROVIA – Liberia’s national high school football champions, Nathan F. Reeves Charity Memorial Foundation High School, suffered a 3-1 defeat to Ghana’s Osei Kyeretwie Senior High School (OKESS) in the 2026 International Friendly Schools Cup.
By: Christopher C. Walker | 0777898224 / 0886723075 | christopherc.walker@frontpageafricaonline.com
The match was played at the Paa Joe Park on the campus of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi, Ghana.
The international friendly, aimed at promoting sporting exchange and strengthening ties between young athletes from Liberia and Ghana, saw the hosts dominate the opening half, racing to a 3-0 lead before halftime.
OKESS maintained control after the break and looked comfortable throughout much of the second half before the Liberian champions pulled a goal back in the 81st minute to reduce the deficit to 3-1.
The match was broadcast live on ELBC Radio, the flagship station of the Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS), on June 26, allowing supporters back home to follow Nathan F. Reeves’ first international football outing.
A Tougher Battle Than the Scoreline Suggests
Despite the convincing scoreline, OKESS players and coaches acknowledged that the Liberian champions proved to be a difficult opponent on the pitch.
Brace hero Joshua Fuseini noted that the match was far more competitive than the final scoreline suggested.
“It wasn’t easy, but we tried to calm things down. To be honest, they are a very good side. We also made up our minds to win this game,” Fuseini said in a post-match interview.
OKESS Head Coach Baba Iddi echoed those sentiments, praising the Liberian side for creating several dangerous opportunities.
“We won, but it wasn’t easy. They had everything to put the ball in our net they had their chances. It’s just that our boys were able to convert more of the opportunities we had,” Iddi said.
Disappointment and Valuable Lessons
For Nathan F. Reeves, the defeat was a disappointing end to a trip viewed as a critical opportunity for continental exposure.
Head Coach Terry Sheriff admitted he was hurt by the result after arriving in Ghana determined to return home with silverware.
“My expectation was too high. I came for a win, and the result probably disappointed because I promised my people back home I was going to win. I feel hurt to have disappointed our supporters at home,” Sheriff told ESLtv.
Despite the defeat, Sheriff maintained that the trip would benefit his players far beyond the result on the pitch. Before kickoff, he emphasized that the experience would expose the young squad to international competition while helping them build cross-border relationships.
“We stand to benefit a lot. One, the exposure and travel experience, and two, we’re here to achieve international relations with other athletes from OKESS. The kids are here to make friends and also showcase our talent,” he added.
The Road to Ghana
Nathan F. Reeves qualified for the international friendly after emerging as Liberia’s national high school football champions through a rigorous nationwide competition.
Executive Director of National High School Sports, Kelvin Sebwe, who led the Liberian delegation to Ghana, explained the pathway to the championship.
He noted that schools must first win their respective county championships before advancing to regional competitions, with the regional champions eventually converging in Monrovia to determine the country’s overall winner.
The Liberian delegation had arrived in Kumasi on Thursday night to a warm welcome from officials of Osei Kyeretwie Senior High School ahead of Friday’s encounter.
Although the result favored the Ghanaian champions, the fixture provided Nathan F. Reeves with valuable international experience and highlighted growing regional efforts to promote cross-border school sports competitions in West Africa.
