In the first of several matches scheduled for the visiting Sindo United FC of Kenya, the first division Hargeisa Municipality FC beat the Kenyan side 3 to 1.
Federation of Kenya Football Division One side Sindo United played an international friendly match against Somaliland’s Hargeisa Municipality Team on Saturday evening at the Hargeisa stadium.
The Hargeisa Municipality team won the match 3-1 against the Kenyan Sindo United.
Fathi Najax (10) of the Hargeisa Municipality team scored the first goal of the match in the opening minutes of the first half of the match.
Kenyatta donning jersey number 55 scored the first goal for the Kenya Federation Division One side Sindo United in the 50th minute of the second match.
Kadir of Hargeisa Municipality soccer team scored the second goal in the 57th minute of the match.
Fathi Najax (10) scored his second goal and the third goal of the Hargeisa Municipality soccer team in the final minutes of the match.
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Sindo United, a second division of the formidable Kenya soccer scene, arrived Friday and was welcomed to the country by the Republic of Somaliland Minister of Sports and Liban Yussuf Gahnug, the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and International relations along with a posse of other top officials.
The matches scheduled for the Kenyan side are not about who wins or loses but to further highlight the Republic of Somaliland’s quest for international recognition which has evaded it thus far in the international friendlies.
To show its appreciation, thrilled spectators filled Hargeisa Stadium to capacity with many not finding even seats.
Sindo is coached by the former Kenyan international, Boniface Ambani, and is sponsored by the Jefferson Group.
“I feel honored to be part of a foreign team that plays here for the first time,’ said Ambani, the Citizen reported.
Sindo United is the first international team to play a Somaliland side at its home turf in a brave and daring show of solidarity with a country that has contributed much to the region’s stability and growth in times that had never been termed as easy and predictable.
“This should be the first step towards building strong sporting relations between Somaliland and the rest of Africa,” he added.
With Somaliland unrecognized internationally, the relatively unknown football club from Kenya, Sindo United are the first football ambassadors who are using sports to help Somalilanders achieve their push for self-determination.
Sindo United is expected to play against a leading Awdal region team tomorrow.
