Soumaoro Safe As Liberia Match Postponed Due To Earthquake

The death toll in Morocco has continued to climb after an earthquake struck the country on Friday night, with over two thousand lives now confirmed lost by Morocco’s interior ministry.

York United defensive midfielder Brem Soumaoro has been confirmed safe, with the CPL athlete having been in the country to participate in a 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between Morocco and Liberia. The match was formally postponed by the Confederation of African Football earlier today.

The tragedy marks the second time a footballer in Canadian circles has been impacted by an earthquake this year, with Samuel Adekugbe and and Atiba Hutchinson surviving a similar, large-scale situation in Turkey this spring.

The Moroccan FA had requested the match’s postponement shortly after the earthquake struck on Friday night, with the official delay of the national team match being confirmed in the early morning hours. The game will be moved to a later date.

Soumaoro had last featured for Liberia against Egypt last September, with the York United newcomer having made ten appearances for his home country overall. Liberia are already mathematically eliminated from the Africa Cup of Nations, with the postponed match against Morocco being the last match left to play.

The Liberian national team is scheduled to travel to Accra for a friendly match against Ghana following this weekend’s postponed game.

Those interested in providing aid to Morocco can consider sources like the Moroccan Red Crescent Society, Global Giving, or other organizations like CARE.

Header Image Photo Credit: John Jacques