Watch: Welsh team triumph in dramatic Champions League Final

A football team from Cardiff took centre stage this afternoon in what was billed as a Wales v England clash.

And it was Wales that triumphed in a dramatic game that saw Cardiff Bay Warriors win the Somali British Champions League Final on penalties.

Cardiff Bay Warriors FC were trailing 2-1 to opponents Leicester Atletico heading into added on time – and with two minutes left on the clock, Cardiff snatched a late equaliser to send the game into extra time.

With the teams deadlocked after extra time – it was left to penalties to decide the game, with Cardiff holding their nerve to come out on top in the match that was played at Hertford Town FC.

In front of a vociferous following from Wales, decked out in Welsh flags, the game saw the Cardiff Bay Warriors show exactly why their determination resilience and unshakeable belief has taken them so far in the competition.

WE HAVE WON ON PENALTIES 🌟❤️

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 🏆 #CARDIFFBAYWARRIORS 😘#WALES 😘#SOMALILAND 😘

🏆 COMING HOME TO CARDIFF 💪🏽 pic.twitter.com/sS8jv6PfUi

— Ali Abdi (@AliAbdi_) August 7, 2022

We are through to EXTRA TIME after FULL TIME ended 2-2 – our fans have been electric, over 200 travelling fans from South Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 https://t.co/7AIQDMMFv6 pic.twitter.com/D6RTKOK9oZ

— Ali Abdi (@AliAbdi_) August 7, 2022

Community

The team from the Welsh capital completed the group stages and then went on to win their quarter finals and semi finals in emphatic and dramatic fashion.

They came from behind in the semi final second Leg to win 9-8 after being behind by two goals in the first leg against last season’s Somali Champions League winners Hilltop FC.

A brilliant video of the Warriors travelling to the second leg semi-final in London and their sheer joy at their victory perfectly demonstrates the togetherness and sense of community the team possesses.

Watch that video below

The Cardiff Bay Warriors FC team is made up of mainly players of Somaliland heritage, born in Wales and who have come together as a team to play in competitions across the UK and Europe.

The Somali British Champions League is the most prestigious competition in the UK for diaspora community teams.

“This is a huge occasion for Cardiff as a city and Wales as a nation that’s why we want to drum up as much attention as possible,” said the team spokesperson Ali Abdi ahead fo ether match. “The community is often written off or invisible in many quarters of our society in Wales but via the power of sport they have the potential to put their community, city and country on the map.’

Congratulations to the Cardiff Bay Warriors on doing yourselves and Wales proud.