Celtic's Somalia-born youngster Islam Feruz showed his class with a virtuoso performance and goal in Scotland U16's 1-0 win over Wales.

Celtic's Somali-born wonderkid Islam Feruz got the only goal of the game for Scotland U16's on Thursday night, turning in a star performance in a 1-0 win over Wales in the Victory Shield.

Feruz, 14, is eligible for Scotland under new Fifa rules allowing a player to turn out for a country where they have been schooled for five years or more, looked a cut above his team mates and opponents, demonstrating the clever footwork and dogged attitude that has put him in such high regard at club and international level.

The youngster got his goal with just nine minutes on the clock with an impressive finish past Wales 'keeper Christian Dibble - son of former Rangers goalie Andy. Charging down an attempted clearance by a Wales midfielder, then capitalising on a slip by the defender who was next in line, Feruz powered through on goal to be met by the onrushing Dibble.

Tribute... Islam played in match to honour Tommy Burns

SCOTLAND will gain nine million new fans the day Islam Feruz pulls on the dark blue shirt, according to the Somali FA.

The Celtic starlet will make history when he turns out for Scotland Under-17s next month for a European Championship qualifier.

The Somali football authorities insist they have no hard feelings about seeing one of their most gifted products switch allegiance.

Federation spokesman Shafici Mohyaddin Abokar said: "The whole of the Somali nation will be supporting him. He has made us proud.

"He is a role model to all young people in Somalia and he has made his dream come true.

THE mum of new Scotland starlet Islam Feruz last night told of the terror which forced her to flee Somalia with her family.

Thrilled.. Aisha, Kauthar, Ethil, and Rahma are proud Islam

The 14-year-old Celtic youngster has made history as the first asylum-seeker to earn an international call-up under FIFA's new eligibility rules.

Somalia-born wonder-Bhoy Islam will wear the famous dark blue jersey for Scotland's under-17s next month thanks to new laws that allow him to play for the country as he's been educated here for at least five years.

But last night proud Aisha, 39, told how Islam's path to play for Scotland has been far from easy.

The mum-of-four and her young family escaped violence between warlords in their home town Kismayo to claim asylum in the UK in 2001.

They were then targeted by racists in Scotland for being immigrants.

Aisha said: "When we left Somalia there were problems every day. It was intolerable.

"It is sadly a lawless place now and we were always scared. Gangs of militia would turn up armed with weapons and just come into your home and take everything in your house.

Feruz was born in Somalia and came to Glasgow when he was seven-years-old

Celtic's Somali-born forward Islam Feruz has become the first player to be selected for Scotland under the new schooling rule.

The 14-year-old has been called for this month's Uefa Under-17 Championship qualifier with Cyprus at East End Park.

Feruz has lived in Scotland for seven years and is eligible under a new UK ruling, recently ratified by Fifa.

"Scotland is a great country which is now my home and I will be very proud to wear the Scotland jersey," said Feruz.

Fifa gave its approval to an agreement that permits a British passport holder who has been educated for at least five years in one of the Home Nations to play for that country.

MINNEAPOLIS , Minn. - In a pulsating battle for the 2009 USA 10 Mile Championship hosted by the Medtronic TC 10 on Sunday morning, defending 2007 champion Abdi Abdirahman of Tucson, Ariz. finally vanquished gutsy Minnesotan Josh Moen to win his fourth USA title at the distance.

Abdirahman, 32, bettered his own event record of 47:34 with a 46:35 clocking on the challenging Minneapolis to St. Paul course. Moen, a former NCAA Division III star, led the three-time Olympian in the race's final mile, but finished three seconds adrift at 46:38.

Moen's Team USA Minnesota teammates Patrick Smyth and Jason Lehmkuhle finished third and fourth, respectively in 47:09 and 47:16. Pre-race co-favorite Anthony Famiglietti finished seventh in 48:09 and was never a factor in the contest.

The race, which opens with steeply downhill opening miles, followed by a fierce climb to the three-mile mark, was on pace for a sub-46-minute finish through five miles thanks to Abdirahman's aggressive early pacesetting and Moen's combativeness.

Technically, the trophy is supposed to rotate around the continent but fresh reports indicate that the country's long history of political instability has left Fifa and the tour sponsors Coca Cola thinking twice.

FIFA and Coca Cola have yet to officially turn down the request by the interim Somali government to bring the trophy to Mogadishu. If peace suddenly breaks out, they might actually do it.