Ethiopian Coffee, Saint George secure vital league wins

Ethiopian Coffee and Addis Ababa cross-city rivals Saint George registered big wins in Round 27 of the Ethiopian Premier League on Thursday in matches played at the Hawassa University Stadium. Fasil Kenema and Hadiya Hosaina shared the spoils in the other fixture.

Ethiopian Coffee added to Diredawa Ketema’s misery with a convincing 2-0 win. Two excellent first-half goals from Befekadu Alemayehu and Anteneh Tefera were enough to hand the Browns maximum points. With Diredawa head coach Yitagesu Endale serving a nine-game ban, the Easterners are now locked in a tight relegation battle. Tefera scored his 10th goal of the season, keeping alive his hopes of claiming the top scorer title.

Ethiopian Coffee sit second with 42 points, nine points adrift of leaders Ethiopian Insurance. Diredawa Ketema occupy 13th place with 29 points.

Saint George also claimed a crucial win, pushing them further up the table. The record Ethiopian champions edged Mekele 70 Enderta 1-0. Biniyam Fikre scored the solitary goal in the second half with a rebound after Mekele goalkeeper Sefonias Seyfe failed to clear the ball. The Horsemen are now seventh with 37 points, while Mekele 70 Enderta risk relegation, sitting 14th with 28 points.

Elsewhere, Hadiya Hosaina came from behind to secure a 1-1 draw against Fasil Kenema. Veteran striker Getaneh Kebede broke the deadlock in the 18th minute to give the Emperors the lead. Former Ethiopian U-17 striker Eyob Alemayehu leveled the score with a cool finish two minutes before full time. Hadiya Hosaina are fifth with 38 points, while Fasil Kenema are 11th with 34 points.

Former Ethiopian international Kebede tops the scoring chart with 11 goals.