monrovia former soccer star george weah first round liberia presidential election 38.4 percent vote 10 point ahead vice president joseph boakai face run-off next month electoral commission say thursday liberians slowly wake prospect african ever win fifa world player year ballon replace nobel peace prize winner ellen johnson sirleaf leader weah 51 serve senator opposition congress democratic change since 2015 return home international soccer career immerse politics political novice 2005 lose johnson sirleaf presidential election official final result show boakai represent johnson sirleaf rule unity party 28.8 percent vote put two frontrunners comfortably ahead large field mostly minor candidates lawyer charles brumskine say vote rig despite observers call fair come third 9.6 percent king george weah supporters call wildly popular among youth disenfranchise especially shanties rundown seaside capital monrovia many feel benefit liberia post-war recovery sentiment count boakai weah far light policy face tough time meet high expectations difficult economic climate low price commodities liberia main export johnson sirleaf former finance minister work citibank world bank years exile flee liberia coup award 2011 nobel shore peace 15-year civil war end 2003. many liberians credit create condition allow election bring liberia first democratic transfer power seven decades manage effectively tackle corruption lift millions poverty ebola outbreak ravage economy drop price iron ore make things bad poor roads still leave rural liberia strand rainy season liberians grid power outside main cities soccer star weah face vice president liberian presidential run-off