With the first round set to be concluded by this week, the 14th round of fixtures saw table toppers Kidus Giorgis and Fasil Kenema share the spoils in their highly anticipated duel, while rampant Mekelle 70 Enderta returned to winning ways. DireDawa and Wolwalo suffered yet another defeat.
On Saturday, Mekelle 70 Enderta responded to the criticism for their back to back losses in an emphatic fashion, as they hammered Hawassa Ketema 5-1 with their Nigerian forward Okiki Afolabi scoring his first hat-trick for his new side.
Hawassa were forced to play with one man down for the majority of the game after Alelign Azene was sent off early in the first half. Mekelle easily capitalized on their numerical advantage; Mulugeta W/Giorgis and Biyadglegn Elias scored the remaining goals for Mekelle while Biruk Beyene getting the consolation goal for Hawassa from the spot.
With the 3 points in hand, Mekelle still remains 3rd but managed to reduce the point difference from league leaders to 2 points.
Five games took place on Sunday five fixtures, as Sehul Shire were held to a frustrating goalless draw by relegation zone team Hadiya Hossana. Wolaita Dicha registered a slender victory courtesy of Baye Gezahenge’s strike at the stroke of half time.
Adama Ketema also came out on top against Wolawalo A/U as goals from Amanue Gobena and Bulcha Shura in each half assured their victory, allowing them to climb to 9th place with 18 points.
10 men Jimma Aba Jiffar also saw off Diredawa Ketema at the Jimma University stadium. Jimma were reduced to 10 men just 9 minutes into the game with their central defender Alex Amzu being sent off. The home side, backed by their fans, were still able to pull off a 2-1 victory despite the setback. Ermias Hailu and Temesgen Derese were the goal scoring heroes for Jimma, with Bereket Samuel scoring the solitary strike for Diredawa.
In the biggest fixture of the weekend, leaders Kidus Giorgis came agonizingly close to collecting all the three points and spoiling 2nd placed Fasil Ketema’s fantastic unbeaten run at the Atse Fasildes Stadium, but were denied by a spot-kick late in the game.
Izzu Azuka gave the home side an early lead but Gadissa Mebrate leveled matters for Kidus Giorgis just before half time. In the second half Abel Yalew’s sublime finish gave the visitors the lead in the 75th minute but an 85th minute successful spot kick from Mujib Qassim, after referee Lidya Tafesse awarded a controversial Penality kick, helped Fasil salvage a draw at home.
With the points shared, Kidus Giorgis and Fasil maintained their place as first and second in the league with 27 and 26 points respectively.
On Monday, Wolkite’s unbeaten run was ruined by Sidama Bunna as Yegezu Bogale’s strike early in
the first half handed Sidama Bunna a valuable three points to lift them to 4th with 21 points.
Sebeta Ketema and Ethiopia Bunna also played out a goalless draw in the final fixture of game week 12.
© Soccer Ethiopia
