The EPL Returns
The Ethiopian Premier League (EPL) returned to action on Friday after a one month break with Defense and Welayta Dicha coming out victorious.
At Abebe Bikila Stadium on Friday, Defense defeated Electric with two second half goals while Dicha are now level on points with second placed St. George with a 1-0 win against Dashen Beer in Gondar.
The rest of the fixture of Week 14 will continue on Saturday as league leaders Sidama take on Muger Cement. Sidama, who led the table for much of the first round, will hope to continue on their exciting campaign. But Muger, playing at home in Assella, will pose a serious test to the league leaders. The last time the two teams met in the league, Sidama edged it with a narrow 1-0 victory at home.
In Addis Ababa, St. George will play against Adama City at Abebe Bikila Stadium on Saturday. St. George fans and players are still reeling in anguish after their exit from the African Champions League losing to the Algerian side MC El Eulma at Bahir Dar Stadium on an away goal rule despite winning the return leg 2-1. A win on Saturday against Adama will provide a perfect opportunity for St. George to put their misery behind and mount on the pressure on league leaders Sidama.
“Our focus now is to improve on our consistency and get good result in the remaining EPL matches,” Naider Dosantos, St. George’s Brazilian coach, told The Reporter.
The defending champions will be boosted by the return of striker Oumed Oukuri who is back in his country after a disagreement with his former Egyptian based club Al Ittihad over salary payment.
Meanwhile, fifth placed Adama City has strengthened their squad signing striker Wondemeneh Zeriun from Electric, midfielder Yontan Birhanu from Saint George, and striker Yonatan Kebede from Dashen Beer. With Adama’s target for the season firmly set on finishing top four, the match on Saturday is expected to be fiercely fought for three points.
The two sides met in Adama in Game Week one of the EPL in October last year with game ending in a goalless draw.
Elsewhere, CBE SA will face Ethiopia Coffee at Abebe Bikila Stadium on Sunday. Fourth placed Coffee has had an inconsistent first round campaign winning six, drawing three and losing four. The break saw Coffee lose defender Tok James who signed for Woldiya City in a 600 thousand birr transfer fee after a protracted disagreement with his club that took much of the first round.
Sitting ninth in the premier league ranking, CBE, which had significantly strengthened their squad at the start of the season which was not reflected in results, will hope to have a better campaign in the second round.
On the other hand, Dedebit’s away EPL match with Woldiya is postponed to March 22 as the team will be playing the Nigerian side Warri Wolves in the African Confederation Preliminary round. Dedebit progressed in the confederation cup after overcoming Seychelles Cote d’Or with 5-2 aggregate result.
After Game Week 15 the Ethiopian Premier League matches played in the capital will be held at Addis Ababa Stadium, according to Wondemkun Alayu, head of public relations of Ethiopia Football Federation.
Week 14 EPL Results
Dashen Beer 0 - 1 Welayta Dicha
Electric 0 - 2 Defence
Week 14 EPL Fixtures
Sat 14/3/2015
St. George vs Adama City
Arba Minch City vs Hawassa City
Muger Cement vs Sidama Coffee
Sun 15/3/2015
CBE vs Ethiopia Coffee
Top goal scorers
1.Biniam Assefa (Ethiopia Coffee) 11
2.Samuel Sanumii (Dedebit)8
3.Philip Dawuz (CBE SA)6
4.Alazar Fasika (Welayta Dicha)5
5.Bayu Gezahegn (Welayta Dicha) 5
First Round Stat
-91 matches
-356 goals scored
-368 yellow cards
-25 red cards
TeamMPWDLFADP
1Sidamma Coffee13832148+627
2Saint George 13742155+1025
3Welayta Dicha13643129+322
4Ethiopia Coffee 136341914+521
5Adama City134721613+319
6Arba Minch city
1347298+119
7Dedebit
135351915+418
8Electric 134541314-117
9CBE SA 33731412+216
10Dashen Beer135171012-216
11Defence1344579-216
12Muger Cement133461114-313
13Hawassa City132471117-610
14Woldya City131210828-205
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