Somaliland Vice President Closes Fourth National Football Championship in Berbera.
BERBERA — (Horn post) Somaliland Vice President and Acting President, Mohamed Ali Aw Abdi, on Thursday officially closed the fourth edition of the Somaliland National Football Championship in the port city of Berbera, concluding a month-long tournament that brought together teams from across the country.
The championship, hosted in Berbera, culminated in a closely contested final between Somaliland military Team FC Gaashaan and the Hargeisa Municipality football team.
FC Hargeisa Municipality side secured the title after scoring the decisive goal to win the match.
The final match was attended by several senior officials, including members of the Somaliland Council of Ministers, the Chairman of the opposition Kulmiye Party, Mohamed Kahin Ahmed, who led a delegation, and the Commander of the Somaliland National Army, General Nim’an Gahnug, whose team Gaashaan featured in the final. Also present were the Deputy Mayor of Hargeisa, the Governor of Sahil Region, Abdikani Caateeye, the Mayor of Berbera, Abdishakur Cidin, and other government and regional officials.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Vice President Mohamed Ali Aw Abdi congratulated the winning team and praised the overall organization of the tournament.
He said the Waddani-led government remains committed to promoting youth development through sports and encouraging national unity.
“I am pleased to take part in the closing of this tournament, which passed through several competitive stages and generated strong public interest,” the Vice President said. He noted that the significance of the final was underscored by the fact that President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdillahi (Irro), who is currently abroad, followed the match live” Vice President said
The Acting President thanked organizers, match officials, teams, and all those who contributed to the successful conclusion of the championship.
The Chairman of the Somaliland Football Federation, Mahmoud Abdi Aw Hirsi, also addressed the event, outlining the stages of the competition and expressing appreciation to participating clubs and players for their discipline and sportsmanship.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Ahmed Yasin Mohamed Farah, said both the government and his ministry played a key role in supporting the championship. He congratulated the two finalist teams and reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to strengthening football development nationwide.
The Somaliland Football Championship concluded on Saturday in the coastal city of Berbera, with the Hargeisa Municipality football team winning the tournament after defeating the Somaliland National Army team, Gaashaan, in the final match.
The decisive match was played at Abdalle Stadium in Berbera, where the Hargeisa Municipality side secured victory with a late goal, clinching the championship trophy. The tournament has been hosted in Berbera in recent weeks and brought together leading football teams from across Somaliland.
The tournament, which was run throughout the past month, featured football teams from all regions of Somaliland and was widely attended by local supporters in Berbera.
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Horn post staff reporter
Berbera Somaliland
