Tuesday April 13' 2004

Coffee Vs Banks knock out cup final

Tilahun encounters his mentor Seyoum

By Michael Samson

The defending champions Ethiopian Coffee and Ethiopian Banks FC strived for today’s knock out cup final in Addis Ababa stadium.
Ironically the notorious Seyoum Abate, credited to build Ethiopian Coffee to its current status, but now enemy number one, is to revenge his former Godson on today’s fierce cup final match. Tilahun Mengesha, just six months as head coach taking over from the dreamer Kassaye Arage, is to challenge his mentor Seyoum Abate.
Ethiopian Banks reached for today’s cup final crushing semi finalist Electric 3-1 on Tuesday. Electric, favorite before the encounter were expected to repeat their weekend performance when kicking out the Saints from the semi final by penalty shoot out. The Saints failed three shots from the spot in a row, while Electric netted all three. Ghanaian Abram found the goal post, Yidenek sent the ball over the bar and Debrom Hagos gave the ball away easily to Adamu Nemera, the day’s best-performed goalies. Many were ashamed for the Saints three penalty misses in a row. Were they well prepared for the penalty shot out or very sure of defeating their encounter in normal time?
Two days after the win Electric took the initiative to rattle Banks’ defense. At that moment when it looked so dangerous and threatening, Banks organized two counter offensive moves, which helped them to lead the game 2-0 in 10 minutes. When Yared Abeje, the fast striker, broke away the deadlock, Electric reacted quickly to a more offensive option out of which came Banks’ second goal in the same manner. Morally bitten Electric could do no more after the second goal except pray for the final whistle. Then came the fast running Yared to seal the game. Tafesse scored the consolation goal for Electric, seconds before full time whistle. Seyoum took Banks for their first ever knock out cup final.
On top of the premier league, the defending champions Coffee reached the cup final after a 3-0 victory over the visiting Adama Kenema. After their poor performance at the penalty shoot–out win against Awasa Kenema no one expected them to run over the well-rested Adama in 48 hours. But Coffee did exactly what was not expected, which is demolishing their adversary to a 3-0 win to progress for today’s cup final. Khalid scored the opener while Mamoalem and Fasika Sima followed suit. Ethiopian Coffee is now 90 minutes away to retain their title.
Today’s cup final between the two rivals is expected to be one of the big clashes of the knockout campaign. In addition to Seyoum’s readiness to revenge Banks’ recent record, it also showed the upper hand compared with Coffee’s former domination Physically fit and well co-coordinated whenever there is a counter attack Banks may raise their first ever knock out title. Tilahun Mengesha against mentor Seyoum Abate! What a knock out cup final.
 

Paris gives birth to a new marathon hero

Marathon is a solo athletics battle that entails a highly dedicated work with an equal amount of winning mentality. Not only is the battle against thousands of race participants but it is also against the course, the conditions, the clock and one’s body.
No one expects you to flash your 32 after the will challenging and gruesome 42.192 Km duel. But for the world athletic new face Anbesse Tolossa, nothing seemed impossible at the Sunday’s Paris marathon.
The smiling pretender Tolossa was unknown until the 33 Km distance where the real title fight came in to life. Since there were seven Kenyan athletes competing against the two Ethiopians, no Parisian in his right mind could perceive an Ethiopian winner. When the 27 years old Anbesse came in to view alone and with a flashing smile 400 meters before the finishing line, the astonished spectators applauded him all the way home in joy. Breaking away from the pack at the 40 Km marks, Anbesse never looked back to see who his followers were. Reaching the stadium, he geared up his speed as well as his smile to clock 2:08:53, becoming the newly crowned Paris marathon winner.
Title favorites and well experienced Raymond Kipcoch and Paul Biwot finished second and third respectively, followed by another Ethiopian, Gashaw Melesse. Six other Kenyans flooded the remaining places, all in bitter frustration for surrendering the title to their rival from neighbor Ethiopia. Anbesse was honored with a winning trophy as well as the gold medal, while Kipcoch and Biwot settled for silver and bronze.
On the same day Aysha Gige, who changed her discipline to marathon very recently, won the second place throwing away her lead at the 39 Km mark. Aysha, who stayed calm and in winning style for the most part of the race, felt a bit heavy on her feet just 3 Km from the finishing line. Crushing her own record with 6 minutes the tall all muscle Gigi not only took the silver medal but the money prize 30,000 USD too.
The Winner Kenyan athlete Sarina Kosgey finished in 2:24:04, one minute and 41 seconds earlier than Aysha, the future marathons star. Sarina collected 50,000 USD for her hard work to win not only the marathon but also the Ethiopian rising star.
Meanwhile, the reigning Olympic marathon gold medalist Gezahegn Aberra praised the Paris marathon winner Anbesse, for his inspirational victory, for when he takes part in the London marathon in two weeks time. Gezahegn who had been in serious medical treatment since the Paris World Athletics Championship is said to be fully recovered and well prepared to retain his London marathon title.
 

Licensing soccer coaches meets opposition

  Talking to FM’s Sunday morning “Talk foot ball”, Vice Chairman of the Ethiopian Soccer Coaches Association, Assistant Professor Sisay Zeleke said, “The national soccer technique committee is not responsible for the basic document prepared by the Ethiopian Foot ball Federation.”
Sisay Zeleke has actually never coached a single club for the last seven years.
“Our duty was to look into the documents the applicants submitted to the Federation and decide to which grade each belongs. Therefore, no one can accuse us of the outcome,” said the rather inactive Vice Chairman of the Ethiopian Coaches Association.
The now official coach license has five levels. Premier league clubs are supposed to have the highest leveled coaches, in this case dominated by former East Europe trained coaches, who have been leading the country’s soccer show for the last three decades. “These same people who are accused of burying the Ethiopian football, now get a legitimate license to continue doing what they have been dedicated to for more than twenty years,” said observers.
Agitated and self repeating, Sisay Zeleke disclosed that all the national technique committee members, including instructor Kassahun Teka (the only committee member actively coaching until recently), are Masters degree holders and qualified enough to issue licenses for the Ethiopian soccer coaches for the very first time. Repeatedly underlining that what they did is not a crime, the assistant professor disclosed that there are only 14 coaches for the 12 Ethiopian premier league clubs.
Educational background, previous result, and contribution as a player are the three main criteria for the license selection. Thus Kassaye Arage, who won the Ethiopian knock out championship with Ethiopian Coffee after more than a decade as a player, was kicked out of the list. The current Coffee coach Tilahun Mengesha also lost a place in the upper echelon. The two coaches are no more legible to coach premier league clubs as far as the new declaration is in place. Gulelat Firde, the successful Electric coach who won a treble in 2002 is kicked down to a national league level as far as his future carrier is concerned. Two passed away coaches Asmelash Tesfaye and Tamene Amene are included in the list. And if you wonder why, “It is a pride for the families and friends even though they passed away,” disclosed the vice chairman.
But for many sport families, the newly introduced coaching license has called for a vast majority of opposition, on grounds of untimely solution for the current chaotic situation. “The reason behind the licensing is to firmly close doors on the coming young ones who are taking over from the seniors responsible for all that happened in the past two decades,” commented one soccer critic.