Somalia will play their first ever match in the final tournament of a continental competition at any age level on Saturday when they line up against the hosts in the opening game of the TotalEnergies U17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Algeria 2023, at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Algiers.
Head coach Nur Mohamed Amin is elated at the opportunity to play at the Continental level and he says his players are ready to show the world what Somali football is all about.
“I have confidence in our players. We are lined up to face Algeria, Senegal and Congo, all of which are big teams and a motivating factor for us. We will see how the first game goes because I am confident that we can compete,” the tactician said.
On facing Algeria, coach Nur has admitted he will be diving into the unknown, but reiterates confidence that the preparation they have had will suffice for a good performance.
“We have no idea about the Algerian team, but we have a squad that has a strategy. We know always that Algeria is a strong competitor. They have more good players and professionals, but we will be there to show our worth and prove ourselves,” added the coach.
Nur hopes that playing at the U17 tournament will open doors for Somali football not just for the youth set ups but for the senior team as well, as this will prove fertile ground for the birth of future icons of the Ocean Stars.
Meanwhile, defender Abdulle Abdulahi is not mincing his words on the team’s mission in Algeria.
“We have confidence in ourselves as a team. We came to Algeria for the competition, and we hope to be the heroes at the end,” the Heegan SC stopper said during Friday’s pre-match press conference.
Source: cafonline
