Football fever grips immigrants too

Eight countries. Six teams. Forty-eight footballers. One continent. World Cup fever has evidently gripped the Marsa open centre for immigrants.

A team made up of Somali refugees had the better of Ivory Coast in the final on Sunday afternoon, beating them convincingly 6-1 at the end of a month-long tournament.

At a makeshift football pitch at the former Marsa school, complete with welded iron bars doubling up as goalposts, immigrants from different countries lined the field of play to lend vociferous support to their countrymen. For its efforts, the Somali team was rewarded with a cup and medals. Warsame Ali Garare, a 27-year old Somali who organised the event, was happy with the outcome.

"We are trying to organise animation and integration," he said, adding that the standard of some of those playing was impressive.

A collection of photos can be viewed at http://www.timesofmalta.com/misc/news/20060612_immigrants/index.htm