Kalusha leaves Coffee, 3 out at St. George
With the chaotic 2019 Ethiopian Premier League season coming to end, clubs are sending foreign footballers back home following their contract termination. Ethiopia Coffee saw-off its highest paid but do-little Ghanaian midfielder Alhasan Kalusha while Saint George booted out three of its five foreign players.
Alhasan Kalusha considered a one man strike force for Ethio-Electric moved to Ethiopia Coffee for 1.2 million birr following Electric’s relegation. Kalusha, who was a superhero for Electric, became the highest paid foreign player of Ethiopia Coffee and was expected to perform a miracle. Let alone a miracle the Ghanaian failed to win a regular place finishing the season with just three goals. Finishing 7th almost twenty points behind the top table, Ethiopia Coffee is will need to signing new players for the coming season.
In the meantime Saint George is also shrugging off the do-nothing foreign players. Only three starters and reserve Togolese defender Esuf Bourhana, were hardly impressive as play maker and former Gormahia midfielder Kenyan Hamfrey Meyona and nowhere close to the score sheet Ghanaian striker Richard Arthur left Saint George after an undisclosed mutual agreement. All three are said to have remaining contracts. Ghanaian defender Edwin Frempong and Kenyan international goalie Patrick Matasi are the two remaining foreign players with Saint George.
According to football fans, this season might be the last for foreign footballers as a new format is highly expected to come into practice.
Worst ever Ethiopian Premier League season wraps up today
The most chaotic Ethiopian Premier League season comes to an end today in an even more controversial scenario.
League leaders Fasil Town travels to Mekele to visit relegation survivor Sehul Shere while title contender Mekele entertains visitors Diredawa Town in Mekele International Stadium. Leading the table in a dozen goal differences Fasil Town is in a must win faceoff against 13th in the table with seven wins, twelve draws and ten defeats Sehul in order to crown its first ever Premier League title.
If Fasil loses or settles for a draw and Mekele manages to win against visitors Diredawa, the coveted trophy goes to Mekele for the first time in the club’s history while boss Gebremedin Haile to make history as the recent time first ever Coach to claim back to back championship titles. Fasil Town tops the table with 56 points and 32 goals while Mekele sits second with equal points but 20 goals.
Third place and with 55 points Sidama Coffee also has a chance to win the title but with big ifs. If both Fasil and Mekele lose their respective matches and the home side with win against visitors’ Welwalo Adigrat, Sidama would be champion collecting 58 points.
Taking in number of darts directed towards the dart board like Ethiopian Football Federation appeared to have no concern about the impacts. Though Saint George announced a divorce from the league due to unfair treatment from the governing body and two of the relegated sides Debub Police and Mekelakya shed tears for being relegated unfairly, EFF appears to be oblivious of any other issue than wrapping up the worst ever league season today.
Hawassa, Addis Ababa emerge U-20 champions
Hawassa Town won the ten team Ethiopian Under-20 group “A” top table after unexpected away victory over runner-up Saint George while Addis Ababa Town emerged winner of group “B”. An eight side play-off is expected to take place in Hawassa next month.
Home side Saint George was the favorite for having two chances and playing on its own turf. But failure to get through the strong Hawassa defensive line and then conceding a goal in the final minutes of the first half, followed by a pouring heavy rain, the visitors managed a 1-0 victory to win the group. Eleven wins, six draws and only one defeat, Hawassa tops the group two points clear collecting 39 points from sixteen matches. Saint George finished runner-up with 37 points from 11 wins, four draws and three defeats. Wolayta Dicha stood third collecting 34 followed by Mekelakya four points behind. The team which Ethiopian Football Federation boasts for being home of elite youth talents, Ethiopian Youth Sport Academy finished bottom of the table with a humiliating record. EYSA managed only a single win, two draws and 15 defeats scoring only 7 while conceding 47 goals.
Addis Ababa Town won group “B” four points clear of runner up Adama Town. Ten wins, three draws and three defeats Addis Ababa stood on top having 33 points while Adama settled for second place with 29 points. Gondor based Fasil Town finished third collecting 27 points from 18 matches while Medin (Insurance) finished fourth with 23 points.
A one round playoff tournament is to take place in Hawassa bringing together four sides from each of the groups.
