Week 21 of the Ethiopian Premier League (EPL) is to be staged this weekend in Addis Ababa and the regions. St. George is to play against Sidama Coffee on Monday; Dedebit is to host Electric while Hawassa City will face Fassil City at Hawassa Stadium. The league table is different with each week’s fixtures, bearing testimony to the inconsistency of the clubs. Some clubs, formerly in top form, are nowadays fighting for life in the relegation zone.
Even though they advanced to the quarter-finals in the CAF champion’s league, 13-time EPL champions St. George lost its second consecutive EPL match at Adama’s Abebe Bikila Stadium. Former St. George striker Dawa Hottessa scored the only goal at 81 minutes for Adama City.
Win for Adama City lands them at third place with 34 points, four less than EPL leaders Horsemen. On another week 21’s fixture, St. George will host southern side Sidama Coffee to continue its performance alongside its participation in CAF champion’s league. Meanwhile, a highly anticipated match will be played at Hawassa Stadium between Hawasa and Fasil. Both were lucky to emerge victorious during week 20’s fixtures.
In a northern derby match held at Addis Ababa Stadium between Woldia and Fasil, Yissehak Mekuria scored on the 48-minute mark, enabling Fasil City to gain three points. With a remaining match against St. George, Fasil City placed 6th with 29 points. Hawassa City defeated Defense in last Wednesday’s match with a 3-0 final score. Hawassa is placed 8th with 24 points.
On Saturday’s fixture, Dedebit will entertain Electric and Ethiopia Coffee is going to entertain Wolaita Dicha. Sidama Coffee leads the league table with 36 points after beating Ethiopia Coffee on Thursday. St. George, with a game in hand, is second with 35 points; Dedebit follows with 35 points and Adama City (with 34). Meanwhile, Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) and Addis Ababa City, both with 15 points, and Jimma Aba Bunna with 20 points are in the relegation zone.
Week 21 Ethiopian Premier League fixtures
Saturday 1/4/2017
Electric vs. Dedebit
Sunday 2/4/2017
Commercial Bank of Ethiopia vs. Dire Dawa
Hawasa City vs. Fassil City
Woldia City vs. Adama City
Jimma Aba Bunna vs. Defense
Addis Ababa City vs. Arba Minch
Ethiopia Coffee vs. Wolaita Dicha
Monday 3/4/2017
St. George vs. Sidama Coffee