AUBURN — Mohamed Khalid had a simple explanation for what the Ramadan soccer tournament has meant to the Muslim community of Lewiston and Auburn.
“Belonging, coming together and being a part of something, having a home here,” Khalid said. “All the guys are playing the game they love.”
Khalid, a 2016 Lewiston High School graduate and a part of Lewiston’s first Class A state championship team in 2015, organized this year’s tournament, which ended Tuesday with a championship game between the Golden Boyz and Iskafahan FC at Ingersoll Arena Turf Facility.
“Both teams were underdogs,” Khalid said. “They made it this far, and that takes commitment, work ethic and coming together. They made it happen.
Iskafahan FC took the championship 5-3, bolstered by Hemza Nur’s hat trick. Iskafahan FC also took home $1,200 for winning, while the Golden Boyz got $600 for finishing second.
“It was a hell of a run,” Golden Boyz team captain Jama Ali said. “We played in the cold, we played in the rain and sometimes we played in the snow. It was all worth it because the other teams didn’t believe in us because we lost two games at the beginning (of the tournament).”
The tournament began March 29. This is the first year Ingersoll has hosted some of the tournament’s games. Other games were played at Lewiston High School.
Golden Boyz and Iskafahan FC played an even first half, during which both team team captains got their teams on the scoreboard.
Iskafahan FC’s Ridwan Ali dribbled into the offensive zone and sent a strike from 10 yards into the back of the net nearly four minutes into the first half.
Golden Boyz captain Jama Ali evened the contest seven minutes later, when on a 3-on-1, he chipped the ball into the net, making it 1-1.
“It felt very good because sometimes you have to come through for your team,” Jama Ali said. “… I contributed, and I thought it would help us go all the way, but, unfortunately, we got a red and it cost us.”
The red card came early in the second half.
Mutar Dakane, the tournament winner of the sportsmanship award, gave Golden Boyz a 2-1 lead five minutes into the second half with a tap-in goal.
The lead only lasted two and a half minutes. Hemza Nur had a penalty kick after Golden Boyz handball, and he converted by beating Golden Boyz goalie Abdi Jamal.
“The game gets competitive, and it gets super competitive,” Khalid said. “And (the Golden Boyz) were a man down, and they still held their own. They kept on pushing and kept on doing well.”
The teams traded goals again. First, Warsame Ali’s header trickled into the net to give Golden Boyz a 3-2 lead.
“Not just the tournament, he means so much to the whole community,” Jama Ali said. “He means so much to the community. He takes MVPs in every tournament, and he deserves it.”
Warsame won was this year’s tournament MVP and got the Golden Boyz into the championship game with a strong individual effort in the semifinals.
“He’s so valuable in the tournament for his team,” Khalid said. “He put a lot of time and effort into this. He got his team to this point — in the previous game, he scored four goals. He’s a tremendous player. ”
Nur scored his second of the half nearly 15 minutes into the half to tie the game 3-3.
Iskafahan FC took a 4-3 lead when Mohamed Gabow’s shot found the net 17 minutes into the second half.
Nur completed the hat trick 18:55 into the half for a 5-3 advantage.
“He’s incredible; he’s a starter for Lewiston High School, and he’s a talented player,” Khalid said of Nur.
Nasip Abdi of Iskafahan FC was the tournament’s Youth MVP (15- to 17-year-olds).
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