Ethiopian Cup Round of 16: Mechal and Mekele 70 Enderta reach quarter-finals

The 2025/26 Ethiopian Cup Round of 16 games were played in Addis Ababa and Hawassa, as Ethiopian Coffee and Bahirdar Ketema bowed out of the competition.

Mechal, Mekele, 70 Enderta, and Ethiopian Insurance booked their places in the quarterfinals of the knockout cup.

Ethiopian Coffee lost 1–0 to Mekele 70 Enderta at Addis Ababa Stadium. The Ethiopian Premier League strugglers were beaten by the Browns with a superb free-kick goal from Fitsum Alemu in the first half.

Mechal defeated Dire Dawa Ketema 5–4 on penalties as they progressed to the last eight. Yodahe Dawit’s goal in the second half was cancelled out by Jafar Mudashir as the army side’s hunt for Ethiopian Cup glory continues.

Ethiopian Higher League side Boditi Ketema stunned top-flight side Bahirdar Ketema 6–5 on penalties after regulation time ended in a one-all draw. The Wolayta side took the lead through veteran player Samson Kolecha, but the Waves of Tana equalised with a strike from Ananya Getachew. Boditi Ketema is the only second-division side to knock out a Premier League team in the round of 16.

Results: Ethiopian Cup Round of 16

Akaki Kality Sub City 0-4 Negele Arsi

Bahirdar Ketema 1-1 Boditi Ketema (Pen. 5-6)

Ethiopian Insurance 2-0 Bishoftu Ketema

Mechal 1-1 Dire Dawa Ketema (Pen. 5-4)

Debre Birhane Ketema 1-1 Bench Maji Coffee (Pen. 4-5)

Wolwalo Adigrat University 2-1 Nib

Sidama Coffee 2-0 Arbaminch Ketema

Ethiopian Coffee 0-1 Mekele 70 Enderta