Dekedda Sports Club is the first Somali club to go to this level of Africa’s top club competition in almost forty years after winning a spot in the second preliminary round of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.

At the Azam Sports Complex in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on Friday, Dekedda SC achieved a historic triumph over Arta Solar7 of Djibouti with a thrilling 5-4 aggregate victory.

This outcome has energised football supporters all around Somalia and hinted at a possible comeback for the game on the continent.

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After 36 years, Somali clubs had not won the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League until Dekedda SC’s victory.

The last time a Somali club made it this far was in 1988, when Wagad FC defeated Rwanda’s Panthere Noires to advance to the second preliminary round.

The greatest levels of Somali football have praised the accomplishment.

In a phone call to the team delegation, Ali Abdi Mohamed, President of the Somali Football Federation, expressed his happiness:

The head of the Somalia FA underlined the wider ramifications for Somali football, saying, “This victory clearly shows that Somali football is expanding.

” We’ll keep working hard to elevate Somali football to a higher level.

” Looking ahead, Dekedda SC will face a difficult test in September when they get ready to play the Tunisian powerhouses Esperance.

In this encounter, one of Africa’s most illustrious clubs will take on the Somali champions, offering a chance to assess the development of Somali football on the continent.

The success story of Dekedda SC is especially moving when compared to the previous Somali club to achieve this level.

In 1988, Sudan’s Al Hilal ended Wagad FC’s adventure in the second preliminary round with an aggregate loss of 7-1.

Nearly 40 years later, Dekedda SC has the chance to advance deeper and even make it to the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League group stages.