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Morocco defeats Somalia 16-0 in futsal, setting tournament record for largest defeat
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    Wednesday June 22, 2022

    Mogadishu (HOL) - Somalia's futsal team was roundly defeated by Morocco on Tuesday with a final score of 16-0 during their second match in the Arab Futsal Cup held in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.

    The large margin of victory for Morocco sets the record for the biggest win in the tournament's history.

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    After the first half of play, Somalia was down by five goals, but Morocco piled on an additional 11 goals in the second half.

    ‎It is the second consecutive defeat for Somalia in this competition. Mauritania beat Somalia 8-1 during the opening match of the tournament.

    ‎The first group includes Morocco, Kuwait, Mauritania and Somalia.

    The Arab Futsal Cup was first held in 1998, with Egypt hosting the inaugural tournament of 8 teams and ultimately winning the first title.

    Futsal is similar to football - or soccer - except it's played indoors on a hard court with five-a-side. It is played with a special low-bounce ball smaller than a standard outdoor soccer ball.

    It began in 1930 when a teacher in Montevideo, Uruguay named Juan Carlos Ceriani created the game for indoor playing at his YMCA.

    The most significant deficit of all time was inflicted on Timor-Leste, who got crushed by Brazil 76-0 during the 2006 Lusophony Games.

    The 10-team tournament, organized by the Union of Arab Football Associations and hosted by the Saudi Arabia Football Federation, runs from June 20-28.

    Futsal is relatively new to Somalia, and Somalia's domestic football federation governs the sport.



    Fans who watched the match called on the Somali Football Federation to spend more resources on recruiting players and training in preparation for future tournaments.

    Farah Ali, a Hiiraan Online contributor who worked with the Somali Football Federation, said the organization has always prioritized participation over winning.

    "I have worked with the SFF for 10yrs, travelled with the national team 6-7 times to the region, & the aim was only to participate in the tournaments, raise the blue flag, & sing the national anthem. We never considered how many goals to concede, though we won a few times."

     





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