Ethiopian Premier League Review| Game Week 10, 11

The 2019/20 Ethiopian Premier League season is approaching its midpoint as the league reached its 11th Game week. Mekelle 70 Enderta maintained their poll position at top with 22 points after earning 3 points in two games, while Wolkite and Dire Dawa Ketema managed to bounce out of the danger zone.

Its was a mixed few days for league leaders Mekelle 70 Enderta as they lost against Wolaita Dicha, but emerged victorious against Sehul Shire. Mekelle suffered a blow following the news of the injury to their talisman Amanuel G/Micheal hours before they travelled to Sodo to face Wolaita Dicha. Mekelle eventually lost 1-0 to Dicha; Cherenet Guggsa’s late strike securing the win for the Southern side.

The defending champions did return to wining ways in game week 11, cruising to a 1-0 victory against Sehul Shire in a game that pitted two teams from Tigray region against each other. Nigerian international Okiki Afolabi made the difference for Mekelle, after missing from the spot earlier in the game. The striker’s celebration after the goal eventually had him sent off the pitch with a second yellow card. Mekelle are leading the pack with 22 points from a possible 33 after 11 games.

Much like Mekelle, there were also mixed fortunes for Fasil as they won against Sidama Bunna in Gondar in their first game, but their poor away form was on show this week as they were held to a frustrating goalless draw by a resilient Jimma Aba Jiffar. Four points in 2 games saw Fasil Kenema hold on to 3rd with 19 points.

Kidus Giorgis have revived their title hopes as they saw off their opponents back to back. They registered a slender 1-0 win against Bahirdar Ketema with Haider Sherfa’s sublime finish making the difference.

In game week 11, they came up against their fierce cross-city rivals Ethiopia Bunna in the highly anticipated Sheger Derby.

Kassaye Aragie’s possession obssessed Ethiopia Bunna were given a hard test by Kidus Giorgis’s high intensity pressing. Mulalem Mesfin’s 58th minute tap-in from Gadisa Mebrate’s corner kick gave the horsmen the much needed 3 points on derby day. With their successive wins, Giorgis climbed to 2nd in the table 2 points away from leaders Mekelle.

At the other end of the table, Wolkite secured two wins in succession to lift themselves out of the relegation zone.
Wolkite, who are without their Togolese duo goalie Mensah and forward Arafat Djako in both clashes, had to rely on goals coming from unlikely sources to come out victorious in their matches. They won 1-0 against Diredawa Ketema in game week 10, with Sadike Secho on target for Degareg Yigzawe’s men, while in game week 11, goals from the man on form Sadike Secho and Alsarie Almahdi were enough for Wolkite to walk home with the 3 points in hand from Hadiya Hossana’s Abiyo Arsamo memorial stadium. Wolkite currently reside on 9th place with 14 points.

Adama Ketema, a side making the headlines for all the wrong reasons – with controversy surrounding unpayed wages, came out 2-0 victorious against Hadiya Hossana after spending weeks in training without their head coach. Dawa Hottesa and Fuad Ferga’s strike in each half helped the side struggling with administrative issues to bounce from their dip in form. The side was also unlucky not to come back with a point from their away game against Bahir dar FC on week 11, after conceding a goal in the 96th minute at the Bahirdar international stadium. Adama Ketema dropped to 13th on the log with 12 points.

Hawassa and Diredawa Ketema also climbed up the table following their victories on game week 11; both sides returned to winning ways after suffering losses in their previous outings against Sebeta Ketema and Wolkite Ketema respectively.

Hawassa earned hard fought 3 points aginst Wolaita Dicha, with strikes late in each half from Henock Ayele and Alelege Azene handing Addis Kassa’s side a delicious 3 points in the Debub Derby. Dire Dawa also snatched victory against Sebeta Ketema with promising winger Muhedin Mussa once again on the score sheet. Following their win, Hawassa climbed to 5th with 16 points; while the Eastern Ethiopia side are now 11th with 13 points.

Sidama Bunna run riot against Wolwalo A/U in the last fixture of Game week 11. Sidama’s forward trio Addis Gidey, Habtamu Gezahege and Yigezu Bogale shared the four goals between them, with Addis grabbing a brace meanwhile Abebayehu Yohannes scored the other for the 5 star Sidama Bunna returning to winning ways after consecutive losses.