The rising trajectory of the white star continues.
Somalia have booked a place at their second World Cup finals with two games to spare in their final qualifying group. Gabon, DR Congo and Mali (twice) have all been brushed aside with consumate ease by the sky blues, whose mix of extraordinary pace and muscle have left their opponents bruised and battered.
One wonders whether this side may yet be the best national side yet that Africa has produced? Ghana might have knocked Somalia over in the last Nations Cup final but the sheer talent coursing through this side makes them a serious contender at next summers finals. Playing in the extreme heat of Qatar should be no problem for this East African powerhouse.
In Ayub Yonis, Somalia has a striker on a par with Samuel Eto'o and Eusebio as a shout for the greatest African striker of all time. Aside from half a season with Gayher FC, Yonis has spent his entire career in Ligue 1 and the Champions League. He has scored over 200 goals for Les Gones whilst helping them firmly establish themselves as not only the all time leaders France, but also as a genuine contender year-in, year-out in Europe. His contribution to their second Champions League win in 2016 was invaluable - he scored two superb individual efforts in a come from behind win over Napoli at Ernst-Happel-Stadion in Vienna.
Strike partner Hagi Omar Farah (Sunderland) and midfielders Ahmed Essa (Liverpool) and Ayub Ali (Inter) all possess serious quality that all of the other African sides would appreciate adding to their squads. But no one possesses a left sided combination quite like the relationship that has been struck between Badri Moallim Abdulkadir and Mukhtar Siyad.
Badri can play anywhere down the left hand side of the pitch, happy to galavant forwards from left back, or to provide a more obvious threat from midfield. The current Spanish player of the year has a wonderful football brain, a right foot that could open a can plus the teamwork that exemplifies the pressing style of Barcelona.
Playing in front of Badri for Somalia is Mukhtar Siyad, a right footed left winger. Happy to play anywhere across the midfield, Siyad has proved himself to be at his most effective when cutting inside onto his right foot. This strategy allows him to either shoot across the goalkeeper or to slip a neat through ball onto the path of his strikers. In the national team, his tendency to drift infield allows Badri to race into his space on the left hand side of the pitch.
Manager Hussain Abdulla has a wealth of riches on his hands. One wonders whether he has the tactical nous though to lead this stellar team onwards to greatness. He has delivered one African Nations title, but in losing to Ghana in the last final he revealed weaknesses in his strategies. The question on many lips is whether he is anything more than just a father figure.
The events of the next twelve months will go some way to proving just how good this team and manager is.
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