Two strikers bagged hat-tricks on Wednesday as Week 21 of the Ethiopian Premier League continued with Hawassa Ketema and Arbaminch Ketema registering big wins in Adama. Holders Commercial Bank of Ethiopia continued their fine form as they closed the gap against the top teams with a narrow victory.
In a relegation dogfight, Hawassa Ketema thumped Mekele 70 Enderta by a 5-2 score. Eritrean import Ali Sulieman scored a hat-trick while Mulugeta Miheret earned his first win as coach of the Lakers. Suileman opened the scoring in the first half after beating two Mekele defenders. Biniyam Belay scored his first of the season to double the lead before Suleiman and Abenezer Yohannes bagged goals to wrap up the win.
Yared Birhanu scored from the spot and Bona Ali got consolation goals for North Ethiopian outfit Mekele. Birhanu also missed a first half spot kick that could have given Mekele the lead. Suileman and Birhanu have now each scored eight league goals as they vie for top scorer.
Hawassa Ketema are still in the relegation zone as they sit 15th with 19 points. Mekele 70 Enderta are 13th with 22 points.
Arbaminch Ketema came from behind to beat Adama Ketema 3-1. Sintayehu Mengistu gave Adama a first half lead through a penalty kick. Nevertheless, Hussien scored a second half hat-trick to hand the Crocodiles a crucial win. The victory moved Arbaminch Ketema to fourth with 30 points. Adama Ketema are in the drop zone with 19 points.
Hussien now leads the top scoring chart with 10 league goals. The former Wolkite Ketema forward is having quite a good season in all measures. It is the first time since he started playing the top flight in 2020 that Hussien has reached ten league goals in a single season.
Reigning league champions CBE pip Sihul Shire 1-0. Winter signing Zelalem Abebe scored the solitary goal of the tie eight minutes before time.
CBE are eighth with 28 points as they carried on to close the gap on the top teams. Sihul Shire are in a relegation battle with 15 points.
League Table (Top-8)
GP | Points | |
Ethiopian Insurance | 18 | 35 |
Ethiopian Coffee | 19 | 32 |
Hadiya Hosaina | 19 | 32 |
Arbaminch Ketema | 19 | 30 |
Bahirdar Ketema | 18 | 29 |
Saint George | 18 | 29 |
Mechal | 18 | 28 |
CBE | 19 | 28 |
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