Ethiopian Premier League: Ethiopian Coffee power past Hadiya Hosaina

Photo Credit: Ethiopian Premier League

Ethiopian Coffee reclaimed second place after Monday's hard-fought win over Hadiya Hosaina in Week 28 of the Ethiopian Premier League, played at Hawassa University Stadium.

It was a clash between two top-five clubs as Ethiopian Coffee edged Hadiya Hosaina 1-0. Nigerian forward Divine Nwachukwu’s second-half strike was enough to hand the Browns a crucial win. Nwachukwu scored his third goal of the season after a brilliant counterattack by the Addis Ababa side.

The win temporarily placed Ethiopian Coffee in second with 45 points while Hadiya Hosaina remains fifth with 38 points.

Elsewhere, in a relegation six-pointer, Adama Ketema and Mekele 70 Enderta settled for a goalless draw. The shared point moved the one-time Ethiopian Premier League champions Mekele 70 Enderta out of the relegation zone, with Hawassa Ketema yet to play their Week 28 match. Scoring chances were limited during the game, as both sides missed the opportunity to strengthen their survival hopes.

Mekele 70 Enderta sits 14th with 29 points, while Adama Ketema remains in the drop zone with 23 points, facing relegation from the top flight for the first time since the 2011/12 season.

Adama Ketema was relegated to the Ethiopian Higher League in the 2020/21 season, but a league decision in 2021/22 to replace the three Tigray-based clubs granted them an unexpected lifeline in the top flight.

The Tigray-based teams—Mekele 70 Enderta, Wolwalo Adigrat University, and Sihul Shire—had been excluded from the league following the outbreak of civil war in the region. All three clubs made their return to the Premier League in the 2024/25 season.

League Table (Top-5)

	GP	Points
Ethiopian Insurance	25	54
Ethiopian Coffee	26	45
Bahirdar Ketema	25	43
Mechal	25	39
Hadiya Hosaina	26	38