A second round of polling for Liberia's presidential election, the first since the end of its 14- year civil war, will pit football great George Weah against the country's foremost female politician, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, the elections commission announced on Wednesday.

Frances Johnson-Morris, head of the National Elections Commission (NEC), said Wednesday morning former FIFA player of the year Weah and former World Bank economist Johnson-Sirleaf led the pack of 22 presidential candidates, but neither managed over 50 percent of votes to be declared president. They are to face-off with each other in a run-off election on November 8.

The Election shows Liberians are "united," Johnson-Morris said, adding the peaceful first round of polling demonstrated Liberians' belief in the "democratic process in choosing a national leader."

Liberians went to the polls two weeks ago following 14 years of civil war which ended in August 2003 to elect a president, vice president and a 94-member parliament, a 30-seat Senate and 64-seat House of Representatives.

International observers from the Cater Center, a non- governmental organization established in 1982 by former US president Jimmy Cater and the European Union observer mission have described the elections as "free and fair" and "free from fear" with large voters turnout.

Liberia's 14-year civil war, which claimed 250,000 lives and made one million refugees, ended in 2003 as former president Charles Taylor stepped down, paving the way for a two-year transitional government.

Source: Xinhua