THE VANGUARD — Somalia and Sudan have pulled out of next month’s CECAFA Challenge Cup in Kenya, reducing the field to only 10 teams from the central, northern and southern African zones.

Organisers of the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) tournament said Somalia, which has been mired in internal conflict, was having difficulty getting a team together for the December 3-17 championships.

Three-time champions Sudan have asked to be left out of the competition because their national football league is still in progress. North African team Libya has been invited to take part for the first time as a guest team, alongside five-time Council of Southern African Football Associations (COSAFA} champions, Zimbabwe. Libya have been drawn to play hosts Kenya in a tough Group A, alongside Rwanda, Tanzania and Zanzibar.

Defending champions Uganda have been drawn in the relatively easier Group B against Burundi, Ethiopia, South Sudan and Zimbabwe.

Kenya are hosting the CECAFA Challenge Cup as a consolation after losing the right to stage the 2018 African Nations Championships due to concerns around the uncertain political situation in the country.

The CECAFA organisers hope the two-week tournament — to be played in the towns of Kisumu, Kakamega and Nakuru — might help unite Kenya after a drawn-out and divisive presidential election period.

The draw for the December 3-17 event is: Group A: Kenya, Libya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zanzibar Group B: Uganda (holders), Burundi, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Zimbabwe.

Football is helping to bring a level of happiness to the citizens of Somalia in a country that has long been ravaged by upheaval. Last Saturday marked a historic moment with the laying of a foundation stone for the Somali Football Federation’s (SFF) new premises, with the national association having operated in rented offices for over half a century.

Located on the Horn of Africa, Somalia has a long association with football dating all the way back to 1951, but never before has the governing body had premises to call its own.

A new home

The new headquarters is being built on a portion of land that was recently donated to the SFF by the Ministry for Youth and Sport, as announced by the Minister Hon Khadija Mohamed Diriye. The association has indicated their plan to apply for funding from FIFA’s Forward Development Programme for the new base which is expected to be completed next year.

“The construction of this new headquarters will end more than half a century that Somali Football Federation has been serving in rented offices,” said SFF president Abdiqani Said Arab.
“This will be the first building owned by the federation in its whole history. It is being built as the SFF is benefiting from the new development initiatives created by the president of FIFA, Mr. Gianni Infantino.

“The headquarters will be the home of the entire football family of Somalia. Having more space to work will help the development of football in the country.”

Fighting for growth

The creation of the SFF’s headquarters follows other recent development assistance which have also aided the local game.

Only last month, Somalia witnessed its first match played under floodlights for three decades following the redevelopment of the nation’s oldest stadium.

With the assistance of FIFA’s Win in Africa with Africa programme, Mogadishu’s Banadir Stadium is now an impressive all-weather facility and hosts the Somali Football League.

COUVA, TRINIDAD—The United States was eliminated from World Cup contention Tuesday night, a shocking loss at Trinidad ending the Americans’ streak of seven straight appearances at soccer’s showcase.

Twenty-eight years after a stunning victory here put the Americans back in the World Cup following a four-decade absence, their chances for next year’s tournament in Russia ended on this island nation off the coast of Venezuela.

Trinidad and Tobago scored a pair of first-half goals, and the United States was eliminated with a 2-1 defeat — its first time missing the World Cup since 1986.

Shocked American players slumped on the bench, and Matt Besler sat on the field after the final whistle as Panama’s game ended and then Costa Rica’s. At the end, dejected U.S. players filed into their locker rooms with blank looks.
The U.S. entered its final qualifier with a berth uncertain for the first time since 1989. Home losses to Mexico last November and Costa Rica left the Americans little margin for error.

The 28th-ranked Americans needed merely a tie against 99th-ranked Trinidad, which lost its sixth straight qualifier last week. But the defeat — coupled with Honduras’ come-from-behind 3-2 win over Mexico and Panama’s 2-1 victory over Costa Rica on Ramon Torres’ 88th-minute goal — dropped the Americans from third place into fifth in the six-nation final round of the North and Central American and Caribbean region.

Mexico and Costa Rica already had clinched berths, and Panama claimed the third and final automatic spot and will go the World Cup for the first time. Honduras will meet Australia in a two-game playoff next month for another spot at next year’s 32-nation tournament.

Missing the World Cup is a devastating blow to the U.S. Soccer Federation, which has steadily built the sport in the last quarter-century with the help of sponsors and television partners. It also is a trauma for Fox, which broadcasts the next three World Cups after taking the U.S. rights from ESPN. The USSF hopes to co-host the 2026 tournament with Mexico and Canada, and Morocco is the only other bidder.

After an 0-2 start in the hexagonal last fall under Jurgen Klinsmann, the USSF replaced him last November with Bruce Arena, the American coach from 1998-2006. The team revived with home wins over Honduras and Trinidad last spring and draws at Panama and Mexico. But the 2-0 defeat to Costa Rica in New Jersey at the start of Labor Day weekend proved one hurdle too many to overcome.

“No excuses for us not getting the second goal and at least a point,” Arena said. “It’s a blemish for us.”

The Americans fell behind in the 17th minute when defender Omar Gonzalez made a casual attempt with his left foot to clear Alvin Jones’ cross and sent the ball looping over the outstretched right arm of goalkeeper Tim Howard from 18 yards.

Jones doubled the lead in the 37th with a 35-yard strike, again to Howard’s upper right corner, and nearly scored another in the 44th when his swerving shot bounced off Howard’s chest and spilled into the penalty area.

Christian Pulisic, the Americans’ 19-year-old star midfielder, scored in the 47th minute from the arc with a right-footed shot. He played a role in 12 of the 17 Americans goals in the hexagonal.

One minute later, Howard made a kick save on Shahdon Winchester’s short-range shot, and DeAndre Yedlin blocked Levi Garcia’s follow-up attempt.

The U.S. bench was tense, as Honduras scored twice early in the second half to take the lead over visiting Mexico in the 60th minute and Panama tied the score against visiting Costa Rica in the 52nd.

Clint Dempsey, who entered at the start of the second half, was denied by goalkeeper Adrian Foncette’s leaping save in the 69th and hit a post from 22 yards in the 77th. Pulisic’s shot in the 87th was saved by Foncette.

All American reserves were standing for much of the final minutes, and Arena had repeated exasperated looks.

Just a few hundred fans were in the stands at 10,000-capacity Ato Boldon Stadium, located 24 miles south of the capital, Port-of-Spain. Paul Caligiuri’s famous goal at the National Stadium in 1989 put the U.S. in the World Cup for the first time since 1950.

Among the spectators were a few dozen American Outlaws, the U.S. supporters group.

Water that had flooded the track surrounding the field ahead of the U.S. training session Monday was gone.