Back from a shocking defeat inconsistent Sidama Bunna entertains Adama Ketema on Monday. Bottom of the table Hadiya hosts Dicha on Tuesday while in good form Wolkite visits Ethiopia Bunna on Thursday.
Three defeats and two wins in the past five matches Sidama’s home match is a must win encounter against in high moral ground Adama back from 3-0 home victory over Bunna.
9th in the table Sidama coach Zeray Mulu is expected to answer the 6-2 away defeat to Saint George and 10th place Ashenafi Bekele to capitalize on the huge 3-0 home victory over Bunna.
Sacking Coach Girma Tadesse after four defeats in five matches, bottom of the table Hadiya hosts in amazing form Dicha. Three wins out of four matches under caretaker coach Delelegn Dechassa, Dicha has everything to destroy the ship without a Captain, Hadiya on Tuesday.
Four defeats and a draw from the last six matches Ethiopia Bunna supporters appeared to be in sheer frustration for the poor record that is four defeats and a draw in the past five games.
Just four points clear of relegation, Kassaye needs to come out of his false dream of unproven possessing football before the die-hard supporters rise in unison to demand for his head.
Though poorly fared earlier, Wolkite Ketema appeared to spit fire in the last two wins sitting 6th with 17 points ahead of Thursday’s big showdown at Addis Ababa stadium.
Critics who have been supporting Kassaye earlier started questioning whether their hero’s theory is possible or a day dream that could leave Ethiopia Bunna in danger. “There is no justification for the 3-0 defeat at the hands of Adama and Kassaye’s failure to ask any excuses is nothing short of arrogance” one of the critics suggested. A home defeat to visitors Wolkite could mean a heavy pressure on the club’s officials including Lieutenant Fekade Mamo.
Tricky mid-week fixtures brings Sidama VS Adama, Bunna VS Wolkite
Saint George roared to Premier League top spot
Three wins including the latest 6-2 home demolition of strong visitors Sidama Bunna, record Ethiopian champions Saint George roared in to the league top table for the first time this season. With six wins, five draws and one defeat, Saint George leads the table with 23 points despite missing their best player, striker Salhadin Said and defender Aschalew Tamene for serious injuries.
Back in to good form Getaneh Kebede and rising goal hunter Abel Yalew each with a braid, Saint George appeared to rediscover itself under the Serbian coach who had been booed by team supporters in recent weeks.
It is not only because of the win the Horsemen leaped in to top table but to Mekele SebaEnderta’s 1-0 away defeat to Fasil Ketema.
For the first time this season the defending champions lost in two consecutive matches at home to Wolayta Dicha and away to Fasil Ketema last weekend.
Many expected the dream partnership between Amanuel G/Michael and Nigerian Okiki Afolabi could help Mekele retain the league title for a second season. But the chemistry appeared not to work out thus Mekele slipped to third place behind Fasil Ketema.
Though six wins, four draws and two defeats to collect 22 points to sit second in the table, Fasil supporters heavily booed coach Seyoum Kebede accusing him of playing unattractive football. Even long time club president Habtamu Zewale who is considered the corner stone of Fasil since its inception was to resign following the booing from supporters.
Many including veteran football fans suggest that the title race is just started as the three teams are the real title contenders. “I think the title battle is between Saint George and Mekele with Fasil the outsider” a fan remarked.
Legetafo-Legedadi leads the table where Electric is lagging behind
A dream victory at home over visitors Ethio-Electric, Legetafo-Legedadi is in command of Super League group (B) driving seat five points clear of second place and a game in hand Woldya Ketema. Three defeats in a row Electric has slipped down to seventh place with its dream to return to the upper tier changing in to a nightmare.
Three defeats including the latest 2-1 away loss to top table Legetafo, Anwar Yasin’s ball possessing football is proved to be a failure. As for Electric it is seven points behind the leaders siting seventh in the table with nine points from eight matches.
Though its annual budget is said to be nearly eight times than the ten million birr Legetafo gets in a year, Electric is hardly a side in strong contention of promotion. “Having no battle hardened players in the squad, no way Electric could promote to the upper league” a former national player suggested.
Legetafo leads the group race with 19 points from nine matches while formerly a premier league side Woldya is second with three points down followed by Wello Kombolcha collecting 14 points from eight matches. Three wins, three draws and four defeats Electric is 7th with 9 points that is just two points clear of relegation zone.
In other matches Habtamu Demu’s final minute goal gave a game in hand second place Wello-Kombolcha a much deserved win to help the side stay close to leaders Legetafo.
“One need to forge a squad from battle hardened veteran players in order to win. It is impossible to get past the cutthroat dramas at the super league with softer heart double pass crazy youngsters like Electric under Anwar Yasin.” one of the half dozen coaching staff members underlined.
According to close sources the blaming game is also underway with the coaches accusing technical directors, the directors complaining on the club manager and the manager blaming the club’s president for huge interference in the day to day affairs.
Diredawa, Hadiya sacked coaches
Newcomers Hadiya-Hossana booted out the coach Girma Tadesse who helped the side into promotion at the end of last season while Diredawa sacked Simon Abay ahead of the tenth week big clash against top form visitors Sehul.
Four wins, one draw and seven defeats in 12 matches, Diredawa is four points above bottom of the league table.
Though he had been with the club for the last three seasons as assistant caretaker and then took over the hot seat since last year, things appeared too much to handle thus his former assistant Fisseha Teumelesan replaced him until the end of the first round.
In the meantime Girma Tadesse, the coach who led Hadiya-Hossana into promotion in two occasions, was booted out of the club along with his assistants Ezedin Abdella and Mentsenot Melaku.
Two wins, three draws and seven defeats, the new comers are bottom of the table with just nine points from twelve matches.
Scoring only ten goals shows Girma’s strike force is less impressive while the defense is simply useless as they conceded 22 goals.
“He can be considered a promotion wizard but when it comes to the premier league he turned out short of resources. I think he is to blame no one but himself” one critic suggested. “The top tier is totally different from the Super League and I hope he had learnt that” the critic added.
