As the second leg of Somalia’s Nation Link Telecom Championship started, it has been a week of loss and shameful experience for the country’s powerful soccer clubs.
The clubs: Elman FC, Jeenyo United, Banadir Sports Club and Heegan FC, have all suffered from what their managers described as ‘unexpected’ humiliations by clubs they used to defeat.
Jeenyo United, who last year won both the supper cup and the country’s General Da’ud cup which is the second most populous sporting event in Somalia, have been handed a 4-2 defeat by Gaadiidka FC on Sunday in what journalists termed as the ‘arise’ of coach Abdirahman Moalim Ahmed AKA Taree who also on Monday knocked down his former Club Banadir Sports Club by 2-1.
On Thursday Horseed beat Heegan 1-0 and Dekedda kicked Elman FC 2-0 on Friday.
“In the Somali league, we have witnessed some amazing moments this week, when the powerful clubs fell to what they once assumed as smaller clubs, but something has now changed’ said local football commentator Abdullahi Dahir Siyad.
In today’s match, Jeenyo were shocked by Gaadiidka’s early minute goal when Hussein Yusuf, No 24, signed the opening goal for his side, followed by another goal from Abdi Aziz Mohamed, No 27, in the 25th second of the first half which ended in 2-0 in favour of Gaadiidka.
The second half of the match was more competitive, as Jeenyo tried to compensate for the goals, while Gaadiidka were consolidating their lead.
Abdulkader Sharif Mukhtar, No 9, scored the first goal for his team in the 57thminute, but Gaadiidka strengthened their lead when Gogo Godfry, No 19, scored the 3rd goal for them in the 61st minute of the match, but 11 minutes later Mukhtar gave his team their second and last goal in the 72ndminute.
Jeenyo then made some attempts, but were forced to lose hopes when they suffered from a goal by Abdinaser Gurey, No 23, in the 88th minute of the match which ended in 4-2 in favour of Gaadiidka.
Additional reporting by @SFF Website
