The 2018 Ethiopian Premier League season coming close to come to an end, the title race turned out to be amongst regional clubs. Record champions Saint George is the only side from Addis Ababa among the five regional sides’ contesting for the trophy. Mekele Seba-Enderta from Tigray, Fasil Town from Gondor, Sidama Coffee from Southern Region and Jimma based defending champions Jimma AbaJifar are the four regional clubs are teams in contention of the title.
Top table Mekele appears to face difficult times to come. It has four away remaining matches: against third in the table Sidama Coffee, defending champion Jimma AbaJIfar, popular side Ethiopia Coffee and down in the standings Mekelakya. Except The Army side the rest three are tough under takings that could make life difficult for Mekele. The home matches are against humble sides: Hawasa, Debub Police and Diredawa.
In the meantime second place Fasil’s face Wolayta Dicha, Adama Town and Sehul Shere away while entertaining Welwalo, AbaJifar, Bahedar and Giorgis at home. Considering Fasil’s current consistency, the comparison tends in favor of it. Life appears easier for Fasil.
Third in the table Sidama Coffee is considered an outsider for it is already eight points behind the leader Mekele. Although its away matches appear easier; Ethiopia Coffee, Dedebit and Mekelakeya, facing at home Mekele, Welwalo, Diredawa and a derby match against Debub Police, its title dream once again to wait for another season. But no other team to stands as the season’s surprise package than Sidama.
Considering its inconsistency plus lack of a strike force, fifth place Saint George’ title dream is a far fetching reality. Of course bottom of the table Dedebit and Fasil Town are the only matches outside Addis. But the problem is the record champions are not up to their previous standard therefore even could be tested in the home fixtures against: Debub Police, Mekelakya, Diredawa, Welwalo and Wolayta Dicha. Forget not Giorgis is ten points behind the leaders.
Though coming late in to the title race, defending champions Jimma AbaJifar has also a chance of a miraculous back-to-back title if it stays consistent while the other contenders taking nap for some time. Okiki Afolabi’s return made a huge impact but unlikely to go all the way through the remaining seven matches. Fasil, Dicha and Baherdar are away while Hawassa, Mekele, Ethiopia Coffee and Debub Police are the visitors. More in need of divine intervention than a mathematical probability.