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Ethiopia’s 6-1 victory brings qualification hopes

Two goals each from South African based striker Fikru Tefera and Andualem Negussie, Ethiopian national senior side won its first home match in the 2010 world cup qualification campaign. It is also the first international home victory for head Coach Abraham T/Haimanot who took has been in the hot seat since two months.
Back from a one match suspension Fikru Tefera spearheaded the home side that demolished visitors Mauritania to a recent time biggest 6-1 victory. Fikru and man of the match Andualem each scored double while Messoud and Adane scored the remaining.
Though it appears an exaggerated goal margin it would have been double that number had Fikru and Andualem were better at targeting. Of course the visitors gallantly fought to keep a blank scoreline until almost the first half despite one man down for two yellow cards. Missing midfielder Alado Bubaker for two yellow cards was the hardest blow for the visitors.
The giant striker Fikru broke the dead lock three minutes into the first half converting a spot kick for a foul committed on Andualem while driving through two defenders. The home crowd chanting from the start yet worried by the score line felt relief knowing goals were to come. However, Aley Chikolad’s marvelous equalizer thanks to a blunder committed between defender and goal keeper frustrated the crowd before the half time whistle.
Back in to the second half the home side appeared determined and stronger pressuring the visitors to the limit. An amazing long range ball from Andualem opened the flood gates with Ethiopia once again in front. Thereafter it was one way traffic with the visitor praying for deliverance. Andualem found the back of the net for his second followed by Mesoud Mohammed’s tantalizing fourth. Fekru Tefera, a most menacing player running all over the visitor’s defensive line grabbed the fifth. Adane Girma sealed the score line with a beauty just before the final whistle.
In the meantime, a titanic clash between group eight leaders Rwanda and pre qualification favorites Morocco in Rabat ended in a 2-0 victory to the host. Although Rwanda’s 3-1 home victory rattled the nest for Morocco a week before, the hosts dominated the return clash to win in style the all important three points, claiming back the group top spot on goal difference.
The fifth round is to resume after three months. Morocco stays in the driving seat with ten points followed by Rwanda with nine points. Ethiopia with a two remaining matches (Morocco at home and Rwanda away,) is third with six points and Mauritania is bottom of the table with no points.

African soccer heavy weights are back to top spots

The 2010 African World Cup qualification campaign 5th round matches threw light on some of the group winners and some others with no hope for booking a place for the final qualification fixtures that bring together twelve of the group winners and eight best runner ups in five groups with the group winners going to South Africa.
Four time African champions Cameroon leads group one with 10 points after a 2-1 home victory over Tanzania. Cape Verde is second in the group table with nine points following the 3-1 home victory against Mauritius. Tanzania with two points and Mauritius with none are out of the competition.
Guinea and Kenya lead group two with each at seven points. Guinea crushed Namibia 4-0 while Kenya settled for an away goalless draw with Zimbabwe . Namibia is out of the qualification race while Zimbabwe with five points is to challenge group leaders in the remaining two matches.
Benin defeated Niger 2-0 to top group three with nine points. Uganda , the surprise package of the group, held favorites Angola to a goalless draw in Luanda . Uganda appears to have pole position with the remaining matches an away with bottom of the table with no points Niger and at home with Benin . Angola travels to Benin before the final group match against Niger at home.
2010 World Cup host nation South Africa is still struggling to get in form as Nigeria win group four with two games in hand. After a 2-0 home victory over Equtorial Guinea Nigeria tops the group with 12 points while South Africa and Sierra Leone have four points each after a goalless draw in Johannesburg .
Ghana is back on top of group five after a 2-0 victory over Gabon. A very impressive Libya crushed Lesotho 4-0 in front of 60,000 home fans to sit second in the table on goal difference. Libya hosts Ghana at home for a most crucial clash before an away game to Lesotho.
Senegal beat Liberia 3-1 to lead the group with eight points followed by Algeria which defeated Gambia 1-0 to second place with 6 points. Gambia has four with Liberia bottom of the table on just two points.
Didier Drogba was still missing when Ivory Coast tormented Botswana to 4-0 scoreline, thus taking the group lead with 8 points. Botswana is second with 5 points followed by Mozambique one point down, which beat Madagascar 3-0 at home. After a 4-1 victory over the Seychelles, Burkina Faso is comfortably leading the group with 12 points while Tunisia the group favorite is second due to 2-1 home victory over Burundi has got three. Seychelles is bottom of the table with out a single win. Burkina faso surprised Tunisia to a 2-1 away victory has a return leg at home and is thus likely to finish top of the group
Neighboring Sudan dove to bottom of the table after a 3-0 away defeat to group leader Mali, which has nine points. The DRC lost an away match against Chad 2-1 to hold on to second with six points followed by Chad with three points.
In group eleven, where there are only three nations (Eritrea withdrew) Swaziland lead with four points followed by Zambia on goal difference. One game in hand and the likely qualifier from the group is Togo which is third with three points.
Egypt overcame Malawi 2-0 defeat in Cairo to come second on goal difference after DRC that crushed Djibouti 5-1 at home. Malawi is third with six points and has a crucial home match against DRC. The defending champions’ biggest away clash is yet to come against DRC.

Ambesse banned two years for doping

Sudden dope testing for the first time in eight years caught Ethiopian marathon athlete Ambesse Tolossa using a banned substance. Thirty years old Tolossa won the Honolulu – USA marathon in December for the second successive year then the sudden call up for testing by U.S. Anti Doping Agency was followed by a shocking result for the whole athletics world in particular for Ethiopian athletics. This must be for the first time in Ethiopian athletics history that an athlete has been caught on doping charges.
According to the agency’s report Ambesse tested positive for the performance enhancing drug Opiatic and will be banned from any international meeting until April 2010, that is, for two years. Anbesse is also stripped of his 2007 Honolulu Marathon title along with the USD 40000 prize money now to go straight to Kenyan Jimmi Mundi who finished second in 2:18:53. Mundi the five time champion of the Honolulu Marathon was so upset at the time for he had been in quest of six titles. Now he got it fair and square that Tolosa is banned until, For Ethiopians who always feel proud of the nation’s athletics result and worship their heroes, Anbesse Tolossa’s cowardly deed ended a disappointment.

Washington DC hosts Ethiopian silver jubilee
Ababa Tesfaye guest of honor

The Ethiopian Sports Federation Association of North America (ESFNA) kicks off its silver jubilee annual anniversary events in Washington DC for many “Home Away from Home” to day.
Started as a fledgling sports organization in 1984, the annual sports event is now the most popular Ethiopian gathering event out side the country bringing together more than 600 players representing twenty nine registered clubs. Launched among seven American states twenty five years back the event now boasts clubs from fifteen American states, two from Canada and a European representative. Ethiopians coming across over the world including Addis Ababa , it is more of an annual pilgrimage to worship Ethiopianism than a five day annual soccer tournament to be held among American states in rotation. The occasion contributed much more in bringing together Ethiopians living abroad, honor the nations sport’s heroes, distinguished personalities and prominent individuals than the simple sport deed.
Many prominent Ethiopians have graced the event as honored guests since 1986. All time Ethiopian great footballer Mengestu Worku, the nation’s most popular surgeon as well as politician, the late Professor Asrat Gebreyes, world all time great athlete Haile Gebreselassie, the first African women’s Olympic gold medalist Derartu Tulu, artist Afework Tekle, leading investor Sheik Mohammed Al -Amoudi are a few from the list of honorable guests in the past twenty five years. This time it is the most famous TV personality and every one’s childhood moral architect Ababa Tesfaye Sahlu honorable guest to the silver jubilee in Washington DC where the biggest ever crowd is expected.
In his 2008 personal message, current president of the federation Dawit Agonafer remarked that ESFNA this year throws a big bash to celebrate the 25th anniversary that coincides with Ethiopian millennium celebrations. The soccer game will be held in the prestigious RFK stadium named after the late Ronald Fitzgerald Kennedy, former home for the Washington Redskins, current home of DC United and once graced by football great Pele. “We plan to amaze the nation’s capital by showcasing the best Ethiopians have to offer.” Dawit remarked

Ethiopia’s 6-1 victory brings qualification hopes

African soccer heavy weights are back to top spots

Ambesse banned two years for doping

Washington DC hosts Ethiopian silver jubilee Ababa Tesfaye guest of honor

Washington DC hosts Ethiopian silver jubilee
Ababa Tesfaye guest of honor