Accra — Slowly, slowly the doors in Japan and South Korea are opening to the Liberian national team, the Lone Star, for next year's World Cup finals, as the campaign of their group opponents in the qualifiers continue to get deeper into crisis, not least Ghana and Nigeria - both sides have sacked their coaches, Johannes Bonfrere and Cecil Jones Attuquayefio.

Liberia have taken the qualifiers by surprise to lead group B with 12 points ahead of Sudan, the other minnows, who are nursing a fairy tale dream. Earlier, West African rivals, Ghana and Nigeria, were the favourites to fight for the single qualifying ticket, but both teams have seen their campaigns fizzle with troubles at various stages of the series.

The latest troubles for the West African powerhouses has been the firing of their coaches - Bonfrere the latest to go after the Super Eagles lost to Sierra Leone 1-0 in Freetown. Bonfrere attacked the NFA in the press over the attitude towards the Super Eagles' preparation for the World Cup qualifiers.

Bonfrere said he would resign if Nigeria was defeated in Sierra Leone, but he dropped his threat after the squad returned to Lagos, claiming the players wanted him to stay.

In the same weekend Liberia were beating Sudan 1-0 in Monrovia to advance three points clear from the East Africans.

But the wins that buoyed Liberia's hopes are previous victories against Ghana in Accra (3-1) and two home triumphs in Monrovia over Sierra Leone and Nigeria, respectively.

Ghana displaced their chances after two consecutive defeats to Sudan and Liberia. Jones Attuquayefio took a brave decision to drop all foreign-based players to revamp the Black Stars and save a fading campaign. However, his efforts were given a blow after the Ghana Football Association dismissed him last week.

Interim coach, Fred Osam-Duodu has also maintained 10 Hearts of Players in the home-based side of 18 players to play Sierra Leone on May 5. Osam-Duodu plans to recall skipper, Charles Akunnor to the side with some of the other foreign-based players.

But after the sacking of Attuquayefio, the acting GFA chairman said that Ghana should forget about the 2002 World Cup and prepare for the one in four years time in Germany.

Such a statement could only mean more good news for the Lone Star, as Ghana are only crawling with four points in four matches.

Liberia will travel to Lagos for a decisive confrontation with the Nigerians and if the Lone Star could avoid defeat, the doors in Japan and South Korea would be wide open for George Weah and his country's biggest football achievement.