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Somali Youngsters Hold Qatar's Champion

By Shafi'i Mohyaddin Abokar

The Somali National U-17 football team, who have been training in Doha for the past several weeks, had its second friendly match against Qatar's champion of the year Al-Gharafa FC on Wednesday evening, as the hotly-contested game ended in a 1-1 draw.

On Monday evening the Somali youngsters defeated Al-Shahaniya FC by 2 goals to nothing during a friendly clash which took place at the club's stadium in Doha. Al-shahania is one of the strongest 1st division football clubs in Qatar.

Somali Football Federation Secretary General Abdi Qani Said Arab who was watching the match told the media that the game was very hotly-contested and both teams showed a good game with high-level tactics.

At the end of the first half of the match, Al-Gharafa FC boys scored their goal as the 1st half ended in 1-0 with Qatar's champion having the lead, but in the early minutes of the second half Somalia's Ali Mohamed Ali (yarisow) scored a beautiful goal for Somalia and the match ended in a 1-1 draw.

High-ranking dignitaries including Somali Football Federation President Mr. Said Mahmoud Nur, Secretary General Mr. Abdi Qani Said Arab, Al-Gharafa FC boss, Somali team manager Yahye Mohamed Abokar and leaders of the Somali sports community in Qatar were watching the match.

After the end of the match the President of the Somali Football Federation, Mr. Said Mahmoud Nur, talked to the Somali youngsters and praised them for the good exhibition they showed.

"I am filled with admiration for your performance and I am very confident that you will score many achievements - and I encourage you to redouble your efforts," the Somali Football Federation President told the youngsters.

Afterwards, the Somali youngsters, under the leadership of Secretary General Abdi Qani Said Arab, went directly to the Doha International airport and today they are in transit at Dubai Airport on their way to Cairo through Nairobi's Jomo Kenyatta airport where they will stay for two hours before flying to Cairo.

Shafi'i Mohyaddin Abokar is the NewsBlaze Somalia reporter. Contact him through NewsBlaze.