On Tuesday, the team flew to Addis Ababa, where they will
play against Niger in a World Cup qualifier clash on October 9, while the
second leg will be played in Niamey on 13th of October.
Government officials, Somali FA president, his deputy and
members of the executive committee have seen off the team at Mogadishu’s Aden
Abdulle International airport on Tuesday morning.
Earlier, the team received ministerial boost during a fare-well ceremony organized for them at Lido Sea Food restaurant in the Lido Beach resort, south east of the capital Mogadishu.
Somali FA president, Abdiqani Said Arab, who first addressed
at the farewell ceremony, thanked the federal government of Somalia for its
moral boost. The president said that it was a very great encouragement for the
SFF and the national team members that key government ministers attended the
national team farewell ceremony to show the government’s commitment to
football.
He thanked the Ethiopian FA president and his executive
committee for accepting Somalia’s request to host is home game in Addis Ababa,
as the country was not yet ready for hosting international competitions.
"Our Ethiopian FA brothers
will welcome our team in Addis Ababa where we will use as our home venue,
because for a number of reasons Somalia is not yet ready for world class
competitions, but we hope that we will be able to host international
competitions at home in the near future” SFF president, Abdiqani Said Arab told
the ceremony, before handing over the microphone to the minster for youth and
sport, Mr. Mohamed Abdullahi Hassan.
The minister said that the attendance of key government
ministers in the farewell ceremony was an indication that Somali government was
committed to football and will continue supporting the country’s sport to help
it develop.
"You are not only a team of 20 people or so, but bear in
mind that you are the whole Somalia brought in one team, because you will
represent all Somali people living in and outside the country” the minister told
the national team members during his address at the ceremony.
On his side, the minister of internal affairs and
federalism, Mr. Abdirahman Mohamed Hussein Odowaa, told the Ocean stars to
engage in a good teamwork adding that his government was giving much priority
to sport in particularly to football which is the most populous event in the
country and had played a big role in peace building and public integration in
the country.
"I am sure you can score a victory, if you believe that
you can do it and what we want you is to come back with a good approach” the minister
of internal affairs and federalism, Mr. Abdirahman Mohamed Hussein Odowaa, told
the Ocean Stars.
The team will engage in four weeks training sessions in
Addis Ababa before their first clash against Niger on 9th of
October. Four Somali professional footballers who play in Europe will join the
team in Addis Ababa next week.