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Liberia’s former football great George Weah and vice president Joseph Boakai are edging closer to an run-off in the presidential election, as they lead the other 18 candidates in the provisional results published on Saturday.

Figures published by the National Election Commission (NEC) show Weah to be in the lead, with 74 percent of the votes counted.

The former AC Milan star has so far garnered 441, 839 votes (39.2%), against Boakai’s 334,162 (29.6%).

According to the West African country’s constitution, if no candidate garners the more that 50 percent needed majority for an outright victory, the top two candidates head for a run-off, from which the winner will be declared new president.

Weah and Boakai were expected to engage in a close contest in the race to replace outgoing President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Sirleaf will step down after 12 years in power, having made history by becoming Africa’s first elected female president.

The electoral body still has 10 days to declare the winner of the vote.

Stats sourced from NEC