A Conquering Lion [5m1w: Tadesse Makonnen]

[Makonnen]

I've decided to split the Five Managers, One World stories off into separate places. I think this is going to be easier for people to follow, and as they are beginning to develop different tones and personalities, I figure some people may only want to read a couple of them.

This will happen during the offseason for each manager. This also means that posts may be somewhat irregular. My goal is to post somewhere in the 5m1w universe each day, but that means several days could go by--especially in the offseason--in any particular thread.

If you want a quick summary of his past year, the career thread of monthly updates is the best bet. If you want to read the full backstory, the easiest place to do that is here (which, unfortunately, is in reverse chronological order), or you can read the original Five Mangers One World thread, skipping (or becoming fanatically interested in--whichever) the other stories.

WARNING. These stories will contain adult themes from time to time. And some political theology, eventually. Soccer, religion, international politics--who could ask for anything more?

We join Tadesse Makonnen and Saint George--known as "V" hisotorically--at the dawn of the RASS Cup. Their regular season is over three months away, so look for posting here to be quite slow to start.

V is coming off a spectacular season: undefeated, league and city champions, and full of exceptional young talent. The story is as much about how they maintain that as it is about the slow progress of Ethiopian football as a whole in this alternate reality. One more note before we begin: Soccer Ethiopia! is an almost-weekly TV show recorded by various journalists in Addis Ababa.

Soccer Ethiopia! Sunday, July 18.

Abridged Transcript

SG: Welcome to Soccer Ethiopia! The summer edition! I’m Samuel Getachew and tonight, we take a look at past, present, and future. First, a review of the recently completed World Cup from Jereymia Getachew in South Africa. Then, a preview the Red Seas and Arabian States Cup, where group play is set to kickoff next week. And, finally, we’ll take a look at the transfer market in advance of the upcoming season.

First, we go to South Africa, where the sounds of samba are slowly fading. Ato Jereymia?

…

SG: Thank you for that, and we look forward to having you in studio soon! Now, Bekele Araya has our RASS Preview. Bekele?

BA: Thank you, Ato Samuel. This is the second year of the Red & Arabian Sea States Cup, a massive undertaking that gathers together sixty-four teams from north Africa and the Middle East, stretching across all levels of football, from the smallest amateur sides to international champions.

Eight Ethiopian teams are in the field led by league champion Saint George. Joining V are Awassa, Harrar Beer, Insurance, Dedebit, Trans Ethiopia, Dire Dawa City, and Metehara Sugar. After looking at the group draw, a quick poll of the Soccer Ethiopia staff indicates that Saint George and Awassa are the best bets for advancement.

GRAPHIC: 43a “RASS 2010 Group O”

Saint George has a rough road ahead of them, having drawn defending champion and Egyptian juggernaut Al-Ahly, who have to be considered a lock to finish top of the group. That leaves V, Syrian side Al-Jaish, and fellow Ethiopian Premiere League side Harrar Beer to battle it out for the second qualification slot. We all know about Tadesse Makonnen’s struggles on the international stage: don’t be surprised if Al-Jaish pip Saint George for the spot.

GRAPHIC: 43b “RASS 2010 Group C”

Awassa may have the easier time of it over in Group C, having drawn Iranian side Persepolis Tehran, Al-Ittihad from Syria, and Omani minnow Al-Urooba. Persepolis is the clear favorite, but Awassa should be expected to beat out Al-Ittihad for the second slot.

For the rest of the Ethiopian sides, well, the two week mini tournament of group play should provide them good experience, and a chance to develop their squads for the future.

In the end, though, we have to expect the RASS Cup to come down to a few well known squads: Egypt’s Al-Ahly and Ismaily and Saudi sides Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad.

Tune in next Sunday for a full review of the opening week’s action. Samuel?

[Makonnen]

July 20, 2010

RASS Cup Group O

Al-Jaish v Saint George, Abbassyeen Stadium

Al-Jaish 0 – St. George 1 (Bereket Addisu 61)

MoM: Lencho Skibba (7.8)

Attendance: 149. Referee: Asmare Zenebe.

July 21, 2010

RASS Cup Group O

Al-Ahly Sporting Club v Saint George, Cairo International Stadium

Al-Ahly 5 (Mohamed Fadi 6, Siboniso Gaza 10, Harrison Afful 22, Francis Doe 45+2p, Ahmed Belal 58) – St. George 0

MoM: Belal (9.3) V’s Best: Adugna Deyas (6.7)

Attendance: 44,174. Referee: Shukri Gudina.

What's On My Mind by Bekele Araya. From the Soccer Ethiopia! Studios. July 25, 2010.

Bekele Araya looked at his notes. He refused to be tied to a script, preferring the loose outlines in front of him to the monotonous crawl of the teleprompter. He took a pen and underlined a key phrase. Twice. He was looking forward to this.

He heard a Getachew’s voice introducing him. It was the older brother. Really, he should see someone about how nasal his voice is. It grated Bekele. But t least Samuel Getachew had earned his stripes in the business. They had been peers once, covering marathons, drinking warm tej and warmer coffee trying to stay awake for the interminable hours until the finish line. In the old days, you could just invent the race out of the whole cloth: strategic moves, bursts of speed. Who was to know?

Not anymore. Bekele appreciated the truth, but wondered often if it improved anything.

But Getachew’s brother, Jereymia, the younger one? A waste. Only had a job because of Samuel. The voice paused, introduction done, and Bekele smiled the same smile he practiced in front of the mirror for twenty minutes each day, glanced down at his notes, and began to speak, savoring each minute.

“Have we already seen the apex for Saint George coach Tadesse Makonnen? Are his best days behind him? Surely, last season will go down in the annals of Ethiopian football, but early signs are that Ato Tadesse caught lightning in a bottle, a feat unlikely to be repeated.

I know this is an unpopular view, but if you look carefully and objectively, refusing to get caught up in the endless hype and self-promotion of V’s media machine, the signs are already there.

They are struggling in the RASS Cup, barely beating a far inferior Al-Jaish side, and then being absolutely embarrassed by Al-Ahly. Certainly, nobody expected Saint George to beat Al-Ahly. That would have been too optimistic, even for Makonnen. But, to lose five to nothing? Five? To nothing? There really can be no excuse for such a lackluster performance.

I don’t see the team bouncing back from that, and there are already rumors of internal dissent, with veteran players questioning the number of minutes being given to the new crop of teenagers to be hailed as Ethiopia’s future.

With four matches left in the group certainly nothing is settled, but unless Harrar Beer imbibe too much of their own product before their game, I would expect to see the red and white pretenders emerge triumphant over the once-proud champions when they meet tomorrow. That’s right, you heard it here first: Harar Beer over Saint George.

Saint George cannot even keep their own house in order at this point, with two games at their home stadium cancelled due to the condition of the pitch. This seems appropriate to me: the future for Saint George is muddy, and in my eyes, disappointment looms, not just for those whose tickets went unused last week, but for all of the fans of the defending champion.”

He squared up his papers and again flashed the smile at the camera. I’m Bekele Araya, and that’s what’s on my mind. Ato Samuel?”

[Makonnen]

July 26, 2010

RASS Cup Group O

Harrar Beer Bottling Football Club v Saint George, Harar Bira Stadium

Harrar Beer 1 (Megbiyane Esaye 68) – St. George 1 (Ochan Bayalegne 30)

MoM: Esaye (7.6) V’s Best: Bayalegne (7.4)

Attendance: 855. Referee: Mulugeta Dubarish.

July 28, 2010

RASS Cup Group O

Saint George v Al-Jaish, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 3 (Youssef Solomon 13, Lencho Skibba 55, Bereket Woldeamelek 60) – Al-Jaish 0

MoM: Adugna Deyas (8.2)

Attendance: 2715. Referee: Virgalem Wigidrgis.

Soccer Ethiopia! Postgame Interview. July 31, 2010

RASS Cup Group O

Saint George v Harrar Beer Bottling Football Club, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 3 (Bereket Addisu 8, Mohammed Abera 25 48) – Harrar Beer 2 (Tadesse Teka 2 65)

MoM: Teka (8.8) V’s Best: Abera (8.8)

Attendance: 2744. Referee: Mulalem Gebrekristos.

“Coach! Coach!” Tadesse Makonnen stopped and turned as he heard Samuel Getachew’s voice from across the field. The heavy set man was trailed by two other people, both significantly younger: a beanpole of a man holding a video camera and an attractive young woman with a clipboard. Makonnen thought he recognized her from his visits to the Soccer Ethiopia! studio, a suspicion reinforced by the prominent logos on the side of the camera and on the breast pocket of Getachew’s jacket.

Getachew was slightly out of breath as he approached Saint George’s coach, and Makonnen thought he saw exasperated—if a little bemused—looks flash between the members of his crew.

“Ato Tadesse, thank you for waiting. You must be happy tonight, after the victory.”

Makonnen inclined his head, and took the extended hand, grasping it above the wrist in deference to the older man. “Yes, thank you, Ato Samuel. No need to rush—I would have waited for you.” He caught the eye of the cameraman, and gave him a quick smile.

“Yes, thank you. Whew. At this age … no matter. Do you have a few minutes? We would like to tape a live interview for tomorrow’s show.”

“Of course.”

“Good, good. Thank you.” Getachew nodded to the young woman with the clipboard, who approached Tadesse and quickly straightened his collar, flicking her fingers here and there to smooth out the fabric. She stepped back, appraised him critically and nodded, then moved to the side.

Makonnen looked in anticipation at Getachew as the woman’s voice came from just outside the range of the camera. “Postgame interview, July 31, Addis Ababa Stadium at … five oh four pm. Go.” Getachew cleared his throat.

“This is Samuel Getachew, live from Addis Ababa Stadium. I’m here with Saint George coach Tadesse Makonnen. V have just defeated Harrar Beer 3-2 in RASS group play, and in doing so, the defending EPL champions have qualified for the next round. Ato Tadesse, are you pleased with how your team is performing?”

“I have to say that I am. We’re playing well, and we’ve been able to use these weeks to take a look at some new players, some young players. Today, though, it was the veterans, the team leaders, that brought us through. Bereket’s strike early, and then the two great goals from Mohammed Abera. It was a good game for us.”

“Any thoughts on Biniyam Woldeselassie’s Harrar Beer team?”

“Well, Ato Biniyam is a good coach, a fine coach. And I think they’ll have a good season. And how about their young striker? Did you see that?” Makonnen’s voice rose in pitch, his excitement genuine and showing through his natural restraint.

“Tadesse Teka, yes, he’s fifteen.”

“Fifteen. And his goals were good goals. The first was a fantastically placed header and the second? You won’t see many shots better than that from twenty yards out.”

Samuel realized that he was no longer the one asking the questions, and scrambled to recover control of the interview. “You’re certainly no stranger to youth … would you look at bringing young Teka in to join you here in Addis Ababa?”

“Well … we’ll certainly want to keep an eye on him, I can say that much.”

Getachew nodded and moved on. “You have one game left, against Al-Ahly who look tremendous in their first games, and who beat you five to nothing the last time you met. What can you tell us about your plans for that game?”

“As you know, Al-Ahly are a great, great team. Probably the best we’ll face all year. We’re looking forward to that game, and to seeing if we can improve on our first meeting.”

“Do you think you can win that game?”

Makonnen’s eyes narrowed. “We always think we can win a game when we step on the field.”

“Thank you, Ato Tadesse.” Getachew shifted his gaze back to the cameraman. “And that’s all from Addis Ababa stadium, where Saint George defeated Harrar Beer 3-2 behind two goals from Mohammed Abera. Back to you, Jereymia.”

There was a pause, and then the woman’s voice again. “We’re out. Good job.”

The cameraman hoisted the unit down from his shoulder and pressed some buttons, intently watching the small screen. After a few seconds, he looked up and nodded, smiling. “We’re good.”

[Makonnen]

August 3, 2010

RASS Cup Group O

Saint George v Al-Ahly Sporting Club, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 0 – Al-Ahly 5 (Mohamed Fadi 17, Amir Sayoud 23, Emad Motaeb 30, Ahmed Fathi 33, Osama Hosny 60)

MoM: Sayoud (9.3) V’s Best: Mulalem Tessema (6.4)

Attendance: 9544. Referee: Virgalem Wigidrgis.

August 6, 2010

Friendly

Shashemane City v Saint George, Shashemane Stadium

Shashemane Kenema 0 – St. George 3 (Mohammed Abera 25, Alula Germa 56, Zerihun Boda 60)

MoM: Boda (9.1)

Attendance: 478. Referee: Samson Gawo.

August 8, 2010

Friendly

RFC Liège v Saint George, Le Pairay

Liège 0 – St. George 3 (Mohammed Abera 8, Zerihun Boda 14, Youssef Solomon 34)

MoM: Lencho Skibba (8.5)

Attendance: 394. Referee: Raphael Thielen.

August 10, 2010

Friendly

Fincha’a Sugar v Saint George, Insurance Stadium

Fincha’a Sugar 1 (Mulalem Jemberu 34) – St. George 0

MoM: Mitiku Germa (7.6) V’s Best: Bayeh Abera (7.0)

Attendance: 327. Referee: Gebrekristos Werate.

A Trip to Cameroon. August 11, 2010.

Tadesse Makonnen and Dagchew Damese were early. The match at Stade Omnisports Ahmadou Ahidjio in Yaoundé was still two hours away. But they had little else to do, and so they crossed the dusty parking lot to the stadium. Some vendors had already claimed their places, hawking roasted kola nuts or cold drinks. Others were arguing over something—either location or who was going to tend a large fire pit, or something. Between them, the two men spoke five languages well and another four passably, but the voices here were different, the cadences more urgent and the syllables full of strange diphthongs.

“Look at this dirt. That color!”

“Nothing like African red clay, Tadesse. You know what my Mother used to say?”

“What?”

“That it all used to be rich loam, black and brown soil where anything grew, where you could spit out the seed of a melon and three weeks later pick a new one. But the blood of all the slaves that were taken stained it and the salt of their sweat made it fallow.”

Tadesse shrugged. The story was clearly not fully accurate historically … but it had resonance.

They showed their qualifications at the gate—laminated badges around their neck, stamped with several emblems of various governing bodies of the African confederations. It took a few moments—a supervisor came, papers were signed—but soon enough they were in their seats.

“What do we have, eight players in the squad?”

Dagchew nodded. “I spoke with Ato Abraham last night. He said that Samson and Samuel would start. And—here’s a surprise—Lencho as well.”

“Really? Good. And Abera?”

Dagchew shook his head. “Unsure. You know how slow he is to play teenagers.”

Makonnen shrugged. “Teenager or not, he’s the best player in the country. Do you think he heard about last week?”

Dagchew shook his head. Makonnen watched the crowd slowly filter in, then turned back to the older man.

“You know it’s just going to get worse? I wouldn’t be surprised if teams came sniffing around Lencho this summer. Fitsum may fly under their radar because of his size. But we won’t be able to hold onto them.” Árabe Unido had made a significant offer for Abera the previous week. Saint George had replied with an outrageous set of demands—all told, well in excess of a million dollars, and the suitors had backed down.

“And, you know what Dagchew? I don’t want to. Next summer, it will be time for Mohammed to move on, time for him to go somewhere else to reach his full potential, someplace with facilities we can only dream of.”

Dagchew look annoyed, angry even. “I hope not. There is no better place for Ethiopian soccer players than Saint George. No place. Fikru, Aime, Mebratu—they should all come back. The only one who shouldn’t is the American.”

“He’s not American, he was just raised there.”

“And he can stay there. But the rest. There is no question, Ato Tadesse. Ethiopian players should play in Ethiopia, and the best of them should wear the red and gold.”

Tadesse smiled. There was no point in arguing with Damese on this issue, and while he was worried about how his assistant would respond when the inevitable occurred, when the first of their young starlets moved on to Central America or Eastern Europe or even a more prestigious African side, the loyalty to club and country was endearing.

The two managers were on their feet clapping as the game began, full of anticipation. Cameroon quickly took control, however, and the gap in size, skill, and speed between the two nations was apparent almost immediately. Five minutes in, only a brilliant save by Adugna Deyas denied Jean Il Makoun on a point blank header.

“Deyas!” screamed Dagchew. “Yes!”

Tadesse touched him on his elbow, settling him back into his seat, slightly bemused and admittedly a little embarrassed. Dagchew was ebullient: “I tell you what, I would take him over Kameni. Any day.”

Ten minutes in, it was a different story: Samuel Eto’o found Achille Webo inside the box with a pretty touch pass. Webo sent the ball into the net easily, too close for Deyas to do more than get his fingertips on it.

It was only one goal, and the Ethiopian defense worked hard for the next half hour, although only another fine save from Deyas against Webo delayed the inevitable. Eventually, however, the Cameroonian side were just too strong, and the floodgates were opened by their captain, with Eto’o scoring twice in four minutes on nearly identical plays. First Stéphane Mbia and then Webo found him just aside the penalty spot and both times Eto’o easily beat Deyas.

As the roars from the home crowd increased, Damese slouched deeper in his seat. “Come now, Dagchew. You did know we weren’t going to win.”

“Well … we could show a little something all the same.”

And, just before halftime, they did. Cameroon still led 3-0 when Mbia took down Dawit Mebratu inside the box for an Ethiopian penalty. In a surprising move, Abraham Teklehaimanot motioned for Lencho Skibba to take it, giving the youngster a great chance to score a goal on his first cap.

Kameni guessed wrong, and Skibba confidently sent it into the left corner of the net. Ethiopia was on the scoreboard, and Skibba had his goal.

Cameroon added one more before halftime, this time a drive from fifteen yards from Achille Emana, making it 4-1 for the hosts at the interval.

The second half was more of the same: a foul inside the box by Samuel Degefe allowed Eto’o to complete his hat trick, and Webo and Somen Tchoyi added two goals in the space of two minutes to stretch the lead to 7-1.

By now, both coaches were using the game to see as many players as possible, and both Fitsum Kebede and Bereket Addisu of Saint George saw time on the pitch.

However, it was again Mebratu who gave Makonnen and Damese something to cheer about. A wayward pass from Benoît Assou-Ekotto was chased down by the Árabe Unido striker near midfield. He knocked it forward, and it was a footrace between Mebratu and teenage Cameroonian debutante Kris Parker. Parker actually caught up to Mebratu just inside the box, but he was off balance, and unable to stop the drive, which was drilled with such force that Kameni never had a chance.

“Look at him.” Damese inclined his head towards the Cameroonian coach, Danyil Oranje. He had his arms above his head, and was yelling at his team, with both Assou-Ekotto and Parker receiving the bulk of his wrath.

Makonnen shook his head. He never understood coaches who did that. He preferred to remain stoic, composed on the touchline, not allowing his emotion to interfere with what happened between the lines. Still, he though, Oranje survived a year at Chelsea … he must know something.

Cameroon added an eighth by teenage defender Raoul Ngome for the final scoreline of 8-2.

“That was depressing, Tade. I don’t know why I let you talk me into coming.”

“Depressing? Are you kidding me? We just played Cameroon. Cameroon. The Indomitable Lions. They’re better than us, but we had moments. We’re going to get there. This was a game about seeing how the great nations play, and seeing what we need to do to play that way.”

Damese shook his head. “I still would have liked to see Abera.”

“Me too, Dagchew, me too.”

Friendly

Cameroon v Ethiopia, Stade Omnisports Ahmadou Ahidjio

Cameroon 8 (Achille Webo 13 64, Samuel Eto’o 31 35 49p, Achille Emana 44, Somen Tchoyi 65, Raoul Ngome 76) – Ethiopia 2 (Lencho Skibba 40p, Dawit Mebratu 70)

MoM: Webo (9.7) Ethiopia’s Best: Mebratu (7.0)

Attendance: 31,383. Referee: Ian McLeod.

[Makonnen]

August 13, 2010

Friendly

Kombolcha Textiles v Saint George, Dessie Stadium

Kombolcha 0 – St. George 4 (Atakilti Mengesha 5, Mohammed Abera 8 18, Mulugetu Yedawa 23)

MoM: Abera (9.4)

Attendance: 163. Referee: Aklilu Anbesse.

August 16, 2010

Friendly

Bahir Dar University v Saint George, Bahir Dar Stadium

Bahir Dar Kenema 3 (Mitiku Edae 14, Haileyesus Sefa 24, Derigi Gebrehanna 35) – St. George 1 (Mohammed Abera 5)

MoM: Haileyesus Sefa (9.0) V’s Best: Zerihun Taddele (6.8)

Attendance: 184. Referee: Zakarias Fega Girma.

August 19, 2010

Friendly

Dinamo Tblisi v Saint George, Mikheil Meshki

Dinamo Tblisi 1 (Georges Akiremy 44) – St. George 0

MoM: Aleksandre Gogua (8.0) V’s Best: Gabriel Junedi (7.1)

Attendance: 177. Referee: Alfonso Pino Zamorano.

August 22, 2010

Friendly

Saint George v Ocean Boys FC, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 2 (Shalo Bikila 50, Zerihun Boda 52) – Ocean Boys 1 (George Chinwuba 9)

MoM: Bikila (8.3)

Attendance: 746. Referee: Samson Gawo.

There Can Never Be Too Many In The Red And Gold. August 23, 2010.

The two men sit at a white metallic table outside a coffee shop in Addis Ababa. One, dressed in a red windbreaker emblazoned with the gold chevron of Saint George, draws languidly on a cigarette, turning his head away from the table to exhale long plumes of grey-white smoke every few minutes. The other, wearing a dark blue button-down shirt and charcoal grey slacks, is staring at a piece of paper, the pen drooping from his mouth jerking irregularly as he runs a finger across the page while chewing gently on its end. Two small cups of strong coffee sweetened with butter rest on the table between them.

“What’s that?”

Tadesse Makonnen looks up, startled out of his thought by the question. Dagchew Damese taps out his cigarette in a small black ashtray which he moves onto the windowsill behind him, then smiles, his face lighting up beneath his salt and pepper hair.

Makonnen looks down, something like a frown crossing his face.

“This is the final thirty-three … no, thirty-five names for the Ghana game.”

In addition to coaching Saint George, Makonnen is the coach for the Under-19 national team, a near impossible task requiring him to juggle an ever changing roster of players who are full of promise but little else: those that had already made good on their potential were promoted to the Under-21’s or, for a lucky few, to the national team itself.

“Many of ours on it?”

Makonnen removes the pen from his mouth and rubs with his thumb at the cleft above his nose. “Too many.”

“Too many? How can there be too many from Saint George?”

“Because it’s hopeless. Every member of our team I select will result in accusations of favoritism.”

Damese shrugs. “It’s not favoritism if they deserve it.”

Makonnen reaches out and takes a final sip of coffee before pushing his chair back, scraping the metal against the concrete sidewalk. “Deserve it? Lencho deserves it. Mohammed and Fitsum deserve it. And Ato Abraham has called them up. The rest … you know who cares about these games, Dagchew?”

“The federation?”

“Well, yes. The federation. But you know who really cares? Their mothers. That’s who. The great players skip these teams entirely. Of the rest, only a handful will wear the colors for real. For the rest, it remains a dream unfulfilled. I am picking a team to make their mothers happy, to give them a picture to frame on their walls.”

“So, how many?”

Makonnen scans the paper a final time. “Fifteen. Roughly half. Too many.”

Dagchew pulls out his pack of cigarettes and taps it against his palm a few times. He slides one out, cups his hands around it and lights it, drawing deep before turning away from his coach and exhaling.

“There can never be too many in the red and gold.”

August 24, 2010

Friendly

Ethiopian Water Works FC v Saint George, Insurance Stadium

Water Works 0 – St. George 2 (Liban Elmi 4, Kerfo Mengesha 18)

MoM: Elmi (8.3)

Attendance: 313. Referee: Zekarias Fega Girma.

August 26, 2010

Friendly

Saint George v San Jose Earthquakes Academy, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 4 (Shalo Bikila 28, Lencho Skibba 41, Zerihun Boda 45+1, Josh Vaughn 51og) – Quakes Academy 1 (Jordan Russell 30)

MoM: Skibba (9.0)

Attendance: 752. Referee: Samson Gawo.

August 28, 2010

Friendly

Sidama Coffee Sporting Club v Saint George, Mebrat Hail Stadium

Sidama Coffee 0 – St. George 2 (Zerihun Boda 42, Ochan Bayalegne 78)

MoM: Mulalem Tessema (7.4)

Attendance: 437. Referee: Atalay Dereje.

Draft of column for the Addis Ababa Soccer Messenger, submitted but not edited. September 2, 2010.

In a game dominated by the Ghanaian hosts, some late heroics by both sides left Ethiopian U19 coach Tadesse Makonnen and his squad quite pleased with a 2-2 draw. Ghana bombarded the Ethiopian goal all game, but the combination of Tadesse Negash (Bahir Dar) and Zerihun Taddele (Saint George) were brilliant in goal all game, turning away shot after shot from the Ghanaian attack force.

Eugene Adu-Gyamfi was especially wasteful, squandering at least three clear chances for goals. He did, however, neatly convert a penalty early in the first half to give Ghana a 1-0 lead.

Ethiopia held on by their fingernails for the next seventy minutes, relying on goalkeeping and some desperate defending, most notably by Trans Ethiopia’s Dossegnaw Gebrekristos. Still, it was not until Awassa’s Samson Woldemarian was brought on, joining Saint George’s Efrem Abera and Bahir Dar’s Derigi Gebrehanna up front that the visitors found any offensive life.

First, Gebrehanna’s shot was blocked by Ghanaian goalkeeper Malik Awuah straight into Woldemarian’s path and the seventeen year old was able to volley it cleanly into the back of the net. Minutes later, a long pass from Abera freed Woldemarian down the left channel. He squared the ball firmly to Gebrehanna, who hammered it high into the goal with an authority that belies his tender years.

With seven minutes left, it looked like the visitors could claim victory despite being badly outplayed for most of the game. However, at least a modicum of justice was served when Harrar Beer’s Tafess Ayenew badly missed a tackle allowing substitute Felix Ibrahim to level the game for the hosts with a shot that beat Taddele to his near post.

Still, the Ethiopian youngsters could end the game with their heads held high: Ghana represents the pinnacle of African football, and if we can compete with them at this level, the future of the game in the cradle of civilization is bright indeed.

-Jereymia Getachew

U19 International

Ghana v Ethiopia, Baba Yara Sports Stadium

Ghana U19s 2 (Eugene Adu-Gyamfi 13p, Felix Ibrahim 88) – Ethiopia U19s 2 (Samson Woldemarian 82, Derigi Gebrehanna 84)

MoM: Woldemarian (7.8)

Attendance: 1730. Referee: Michael Makonnen.

[Makonnen]

September 8, 2010

Ethio-Italian Friendship Cup First Round, Leg One

Trans Ethiopia v Saint George, Tigray Stadium

Trans Ethiopia 0 – St. George 2 (Mohammed Abera 10, Fitsum Kebede 52)

MoM: Samson Mulugeta (7.8)

Attendance: 583. Referee: Yohannes Kayira.

Ethio-Italian Friendship Cup Update. September 13, 2010.

Ethio-Italian Friendship Cup First Round, Leg Two

Saint George v Trans Ethiopia, Addis Ababa Stadium

Trans Ethiopia 0 – St. George 4 (Lencho Skibba 25 36, Mohammed Abera 55, Bereket Addisu 90+1) [st. George win 6-0 on aggregate]

MoM: Skibba (9.3)

Attendance: 2330. Referee: Teshager Vassalo.

With the first round complete, only three of the final sixteen teams in the Ethio-Italian Friendship Cup are from the African nation, whose hopes rest on the backs of Saint George, Sebeta City and Harrar Beer.

Of those, only Harrar triumphed over an Italian side, beating Northern Italian side Domegliara on penalties. Sebeta City edged Metehara Sugar 1-0 behind a goal from Solomon Kedane to progress while Saint George destroyed Trans Ethiopia 6-0 on aggregate to easily move into the next round. Insurance was perhaps unlucky not to join their compatriots, losing to Chieti only on penalties.

Rovigo, Siracusa, and Avellino join Saint George in scoring a half-dozen goals in their opening two matches, with Siracusa also not surrendering in their dominance of Defence SC. Unsurprisingly, players from two of these teams—Avellino’s Ivan Tisci and Rovigo’s Antonio Scotti—lead the competition with three goals each.

[Makonnen]

From Tadesse Makonnen's Diary.

September 20, 2010

Friendly

Ethiopian Electric Power Cooperation v Saint George

EEPCO 0 – St. George 3 (Lencho Skibba 19, Tesfaye Wendimagegne 52, Youssef Solomon 69)

MoM: Mulalem Tessema (8.6)

Attendance: 427. Referee: Samson Gawo.

September 25, 2010

Friendly

Defence Sports Club v Saint George, Addis Ababa stadium

Defence SC 2 (Kerfo Araya 9, Worku Ayalew 89) – St. George 2 (Asrat Hailu 32 og, Bereket Addisu 64)

MoM: Lencho Skibba (7.9)

Attendance: 1196. Referee: Sahlu Anamo.

September 30, 2010

RASS Cup First Round, Leg One

Al-Wehdat v Saint George, King Abdullah Stadium

Wehdat 1 (Bader Al-Rayahneh 69) – St. George 3 (Fitsum Kebede 9, Assani Bajope 22, Ochan Bayalegne 90+2)

MoM: Kebede (8.1)

Attendance: 180. Referee: Yohannes Kayira.

October 6, 2010

The win in the opening match of the RASS leg was good, but also dangerous.

We are now heavily favored over Scafatese, and Dagchew and I are both concerned. They are a good club and we need to do more than just show up, especially with the first leg being in Italy.

The trip over is uneventful—it amazes me how quickly these kids get used to their environment. They move through airports, customs, buses, hotels so comfortably. They are still amazed by things, or at least some of them are—by the architecture, by how green the fields are that roll away from the side of the stadium, by the abundance of plasma TV’s in the hotel lounge. But they accept it all, following us and each other with very little fear.

For many of them, half their lives were spent in the most impoverished conditions imaginable: two hour walks to and from a dusty one room school taught by a revolving door of well-intentioned ferengi; long hours spent tending to the needs of a few dozen mangy and starving cattle, guiding them to the same watering spots their great-grandfathers used or protecting them against hyena, wolves, and sometimes lions; or dangerous lives spent surviving on the fringes of burgeoning cities. And in the midst of all that, something compelled them to run, to take three rags and some duct tape and make a ball, and to run some more.

And somehow, their names got written down, talked about, added to lists. I got some of those lists. Six, seven, eight years ago. Bouncy rides in jeeps whose suspensions had seen better days long before I was born that led to little clearings under a hot sun where they raced back and forth in sun warmed packs of windmilling legs where a single child would clearly outshine the rest, a single boy—and so far they are all boys—who is that much faster, can jump that much higher, can make the ball do just what they want it to do, moving it like a yo-yo tied to their ankle, leaving a dozen others in their wake.

And for some of those, a very small number of those, an invitation to come to Addis, to stay in our dormitories, to train with our youth programs. They eat well, they play every day, the find friends, they fight, they pay attention, or not, to our tutors. And each year, we cull them mercilessly, sending a dozen of them back home. It breaks my heart.

I don’t know why I’m melancholy today. The bus leaves in ten minutes.

# # #

Well, that’s that. We saw it coming, and it came.

We’re at the airport, waiting out some delay with the flight home. The team is appropriately dejected: slumped over chairs, on their bags, on each other. Most have headphones, or are pounding away at some small electronic device. A few are talking, but it is mostly silent.

For the first twenty-five minutes, the Italians saw almost all of the ball. We’re not used to that, and we reacted in the worst possible way: frustration turning to desperation turning to a clumsy lunge by Abera in the box for a penalty.

It is the one hole in his game, the one thing that may keep him from becoming a truly great player. I think I have one more year to teach him, and if I can help him control that temper in that year, I will have done enough.

The start of the game clearly had us unnerved, and we showed our inexperience not ten minutes later.

Skibba was on the ground near midfield, writhing in pain. Our players—and Dagchew—were screaming for Scafaatese to kick the ball out of bounds. But they didn’t—which may not be fully sporting, but is certainly within their rights. Mulugeta and Deyas were distracted, and they didn’t talk to each other, allowing a ball to roll between them untouched. Luca Martone pounced on it, slamming the ball high into the back of the net.

Martone added a rocket from twenty-eight yards out, and we were down by 3 less than forty minutes into the match.

I grabbed Abera as they jogged back to kick off. I told him that this was where leadership happened, this was where we had a chance to shock people by playing strong from here on out.

We finally began to see some chances: we are faster than Scafatese, and our counter attack was picking up momentum. Lencho was fine, and as he began to see more of the ball, we began to find more space in the attacking third. Finally, Abera and Addisu played a lovely one-two that ended with Mohammed beating their keeper to the near post just before the whistle blew.

I told them at halftime that I didn’t mind us losing if we were beat physically. I didn’t mind us losing if the other team was stronger, was faster, or hit shots from thirty yards out. But to be beat because the other team was smarter? Because the other team was mentally more focused and emotionally better prepared? No. That was not how we would play the game. And if they wanted to wear the shirt, if they wanted to stay with the club, they had better show that.

They heard me, and we did have a much better time of it defensively in the second half, as well as a few good chances—a breakaway from Abera, a shot inside the box from Liban Elmi. But nothing found its way through, and we will board the flight home shortly facing a two goal deficit for the second leg.

Ethio-Italian Friendship Cup, Round 2, Leg 1

Scafatese v Saint George, Comunale

Scafatese 3 (Giovanni Lagnella 26p, Luca Martone 35 38) – St. George 1 (Mohammed Abera 45)

MoM: Martone (8.8) V’s Best: Abera (7.0)

Attendance: 488. Referee: Seyoum Haile Mariam.

[Makonnen]

October 22, 2010

Friendly

Chemelil Sugar FC v Saint George, Chemelil Sports Complex

Chemelil Sugar 1 (Allan Shaban) – St. George 0

MoM: Shaban (8.4) V’s Best: Anteneche Gezachsen (7.1)

Attendance: 181. Referee: Harry Lekitlane.

October 23, 2010

Friendly

Mumias Sugar v Saint George, Mumias Sports Complex

Mumias Sugar 2 (Francis Madigomere 46 51) – St. George 1 (Geshaye Woldeamelek 26)

MoM: Madigomere (8.7) V’s Best: Tesfaye Wendimagegne (8.1)

Attendance: 169. Referee: Frederick Owino.

Three Games Against Barely Professional Sides In Kenya. October 25, 2010.

Maybe this wasn’t the best idea.

It sounded so good a few months ago: a quick tour of Kenya, get some scouting in, round into form for the season opener with some good wins against foreign competition.

Instead, we’ve lost back to back games for the first time since I took over, and are doing it in almost comic fashion: Mumias’ second goal was a long clearance that bounced over Negash’s head. We scheduled games every day, so my usual response—practice sessions that focus on regaining our composure, turning positive play into instinct—isn’t possible.

We’ve been reduced to some walk-throughs on dusty fields under the equatorial sun.

And we’ve shown almost no spark.

Still, we are going with a very young team, and only putting our best players out there sporadically. And some of them are still learning new positions—Mohammed up front, Mulalem as a holder.

But the quality should be showing through more than it is. We have a couple weeks to turn it around before the season starts.

We found out our opponent in the Ethio-Italian Cup: Harrar Beer. It’s not good for the nation, as it guarantees the elimination of an Ethiopian team. But it’s good for us. We’re unbeaten against them in the last five meetings.

Tonight, it’s Tusker, who should be one of the stronger sides we will face. It wasn’t intentional, but we’ll have more of our first team starting this one than the others. I’m glad for that—giving out a good thumping would go a long way to restoring the side to where we need them to be.

Instead, we play them to a scoreless draw in the first half, and things are the same in the second half.

“Dagchew, what are we going to do?”

He is silent, and I can tell that even he has begun to find doubt creeping in.

For my part, it’s more frustration than doubt. It seems that we have two teams, one that is capable of shocking performances that threaten to put Ethiopian football on the map permanently. And the other … well the other goes 0-2-1 in three games against barely professional sides in Kenya.

My job is to make sure the right team shows up in November. Wins then will make everyone forget this. Well, everyone except the journalists.

I dread the press conference that awaits our return.

Friendly

Tusker FC v Saint George, Moi International Sports Centre

Tusker 0 – St. George 0

MoM: Samuel Degefe (7.2)

Attendance: 174. Referee: Abram Ntuli.

[Makonnen]

October 26, 2010

Friendly

Nairobi City Stars v Saint George, Hope Centre

Nairobi City 1 (Edwin Shikanda 45+1) – St. George 2 (Lencho Sibba 15, Bereket Woldeamelek 27)

MoM: Tesfaye Wendimagegne (7.1)

Attendance: 174. Referee: Bakary Traoré.

Today, Ismaily. October 31, 2010.

Today, Ismaily. This is the beginning of the season, really: a hard matchup in RASS, and then in three days the opening of league play against Banks. We’re still not on form, but we have no choice but to come out hard against a team with much deeper pockets and a more celebrated history.

The first five minutes were all them, but we’re absorbing pressure well, relying on our ability in the air to clear the ball, and making some composed interceptions of key passes. It’s unlikely that we could do this for the whole game, but perhaps we can do it long enough to gain some composure.

It’s Deyas, of course, above all: two fantastic saves and a constant stream of instructions to his defense, keeping everything tightly organized at the back. And then our counter exploded with a fantastic chance: Skibba sent a long cross to Assani Bajope, switching the field of play. Bajope immediately knocked a long ball forward, catching the Ismaily back line in a moment of confusion—they had moved to the side, tracking Skibba’s initial pass but weren’t prepared for Fitsum Kebede’s direct run at goal. Kebede gathered the pass and while Amir Abdel Hamid took a great angle to force Fitsum off his favored foot and towards the byline, it wasn’t enough and Kebede was able to slide the ball neatly inside the near post.

We were up by a goal and Ismaily looked shocked at the goings on.

They came back strong, however, and just short of half an hour, three minutes go by with the ball bouncing around our box, only kept out of the net by a toe here and a diving header there. Eventually, it was just too much, and we were caught out as Hany El Agazy found the back of the net.

Kebede was turned away twice more—he’s playing an inspired game, finding space behind their defense and dancing on the ball inside their box.

Ten minutes into the second half, it was another breakaway, this time for Bereket Addisu who moved Ahmed Khairy one way and the other before bursting by him into the box. The Egyptian defender tried to recover, but only succeeded in bringing Addisu down clumsily—it was a clear penalty, and when Mohammed Abera coolly slammed it home, we were again up by a goal.

We hit the woodwork, and use a marvelous diving header from Ochan Bayalegne to clear Ismaily’s last attack.

It was a good victory for us, but we’ll have our work cut out when we visit them in Egypt in two weeks time.

RASS Cup 2nd Round, Leg One

Saint George v Ismaily Sporting Club, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 2 (Fitsum Kebede 13, Mohammed Abera 56p) – Ismaily 1 (Hany El Agazy 27)

MoM: Abera (7.6)

Attendance: 4278. Referee: Samson Gawo.

[Makonnen]

Opening Day, At Long Last. November 3, 2010.

Opening day, at long last. We face Banks at home, and the team is eager for the end of the training exercises and the start of the real thing. We had to cut our pregame warm-ups short by a few minutes in order for a stage to be setup. There was a ceremony with the head of the Board of Directors, Abinet Gebremeskel, and then a local band started playing.

The sound is full of static from the PA system, but it is distinctly Ethiopian. It doesn’t matter how much they try to bury it beneath … I don’t know what you would call it. Funk? Whatever the bastard child of Addis Soul and a fancy soundboard would be called. In any case, no matter what else they mix it with, the particular syncopation and the high ululations in the treble line all betray its roots.

People are dancing in the stands, the women moving their shoulders rapidly up and down. Even if I dislike what I can hear of the music, it’s a good moment, a celebration of what we accomplished last year.

But of course, that was last year. Today, the game against Ismaily has forced an irregular lineup, with both Skibba and Abera out of the starting eleven. Still, Banks hasn’t improved terribly on last year’s squad, and it should be a win for us.

Less than a minute in, Addisu finds acres of space and lays it off for Mengesha, who has a simple finish. We add a second off a nice header from Bereded Gawo just shy of the half hour mark, and it looks like the rout is on.

But it doesn’t come: we just hit a comfortable sort of lull for the rest of the game and while we never look like we’ll give up a goal, the complacency is worrisome. Still, a win is a win, and with the season underway, we can focus on finding our higher gears.

Ethio Premiere

Saint George v Ethiopian Banks Sports Club, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 2 (Atakilti Mengesha 1, Bereded Gawo 1) – Banks SC 0

MoM: Gawo (8.0)

Attendance: 4955. Referee: Mulugeta Dubarish.

[Makonnen]

I am going to change the way Saint George is handled this year. Less important games—including all league games initially—will be covered via short recaps, provided along longer “story” pieces. The goal is to flesh out some of the characters and to see where that takes us as the squad develops. Will still be doing game reports for big games—the RASS Cup match with Ismaily that looms, for example.

Hope it’s still enjoyable!

November 7, 2010

An ugly own goal from EEPCo defender Atakilti Negewo opened the scoring, but V’s quality showed through when Lencho Skibba netted three times in just under five minutes. It could easily have been more: both Mohammed Abera and Assani Bajope hit the woodwork in the first half as well. The game settled down in the second half, with the only score being Bereket Addisu’s lovely, bending, twenty yard strike.

Ethio Premiere

Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation v Saint George, Mebrat Hail Stadium

EEPCO 0 – St. George 5 (Atakilti Negewo 11og, Lencho Skibba 18 20 22, Bereket Addisu 77)

MoM: Skibba (9.6)

Attendance: 2147. Referee: Atalay Dereje.

November 10, 2010

Atakilti Mengesha freed Lencho Skibba in the first quarter hour and the red-hot attacker kept his streak going, slotting neatly by Birhanu Gebremariam in Southern Police’s goal. The two combined twice more in the first half, but Gebremariam was up to it once and Skibba skimmed the edge of the bar with his other opportunity. The lead was doubled when Mengesha found space behind the back line for a simple finish. The talk of the first half, though, was Mohammed Abera’s two yellow cards—both well deserved—in a four minute span, putting V down a man for over half the match.

Veteran midfielder Assani Bajope added a fantastic thirty yard strike in the second half for the final margin.

Ethio Premiere

Southern Police v Saint George, Awassa Kenema Stadium

Southern Police 0 – St. George 3 (Lencho Skibba 14, Atakilti Mengesha 40, Assani Bajope 64)

MoM: Mengesha (8.3)

Attendance: 852. Referee: Atalay Dereje.

Too Perfect. November 11, 2010.

Abera is waiting in the hallway when I arrive, which is a good sign. We exchange pleasantries as I open the door into my office and motion him into the chair across from the large desk. I remove my coat, and settle myself on the other side.

“Mohammed, you know why I asked you here, yes?”

He nods his head. “But the first card was such a bad call, Ato Tadesse. You know that.”

I hold up a hand, stopping him. “Not the point. Good call, bad call, you knew you had that card. The problem is with the second four, and with the suspensions. You’ve let me down, and more importantly, you’ve put your teammates under pressure for the next few games.” He looks down momentarily. “It’s not the first time we’ve had this conversation, Mohammed.”

“I know.”

“You know I believe you have enough talent to play anywhere in the world. More talent than I’ve ever seen on an Ethiopian field. But you don’t believe me yet when I tell you that talent is not enough.”

He looks at me, his face a perfect picture of contrition. “I know, Ato. I will do better.” Too perfect.

“You’ve said that before, you know.” He’s silent, and in that moment, I make up my mind. He knew this conversation was coming, but until he gets this under control, we’ll have to do more than just scold him. I glance up at the crosses on my clock. It’s still early in the day, with a few hours to go until training. “Mohammed, what do you send home?”

“Sir?”

“Each week. What do you send back to your family?”

He answers quickly, confused by the question. “Two thousand.”

I nod, reminded that he is, at heart, a good kid: he makes just over 3,000 birr a week, and is sending most of it back home. He has one brother here as well, but if I remember correctly, there are another eight or nine at home. Not that it was too great a sacrifice for him: with room and board covered, 1,000 birr a week would let him live quite well in Addis Ababa.

“I’ve decided to fine you one week’s salary for the sending off.”

“What?”

He looks up in anger, sees the look on my face and quiets down. “I don’t know what else to do: these conversations are clearly not sufficient. I will, if you want, lend you the money to make your payment home. You can pay me back gradually.”

He stiffens and is silent for a moment, then stands. “No. I will take care of my responsibilities.” I can see the muscles along his jaw, tight and almost trembling.

“Is there something else you wish to say?”

He is silent for a moment. “I don’t think this is right. I shouldn’t pay for a bad call.”

I remain seated, not letting my eyes leave his. “That’s the problem, Mohammed. You still think the issue is with somebody else: a bad call, a poor choice by somebody else. If you are going to be a great player, a great leader, a great man—regardless of football, regardless of how much you score—you will need to realize that these things are not somebody else’s making, but your own.”

Something else has crept into his stance: a sullenness, a defiance. “Is that all?”

I hold his eyes a moment more before answering. “Yes. I expect to see you at Noon for the training session.”

He barely nods before making his exit.

[Makonnen]

November 12, 2010

I take my glasses off and gently place them on the desk, then lean forward, massaging the bridge of my nose in a futile attempt to ward off the headache I can feel building at the base of my neck. Firdu Demeska has just left my office, the fourth player this morning who has come in to express their concern over my decision to fine Abera.

Between them, they claim to speak for over half the squad. They’ve offered a variety of arguments: he’s young, his family needs the money, the team needs its focus against Ismaily, the team needs no distractions if we want to remain undefeated in the league, we have no right to touch the players’ income.

It’s been a hard morning.

I’m glad the team is cohesive, and I’m glad they appreciate Abera’s talent. I’m even glad they pay attention to their money: for many of them, this is the pinnacle of their financial success, and once they leave the game, their earning power will all but disappear.

Every few weeks, one of the old players shows up, someone who spent a few years at the club in the 60s or 70s, and once in a while the 50s. They watch from the far end of the pitch for a few moments then make their way up the stairs to the corporate office. I’ve accompanied a few of them—Tewfik, Abdul Mariam, Assefa, men I’ve known most of my life—and it’s all made very easy on them, everyone is friendly, appreciative of their service to the club. That’s the phrase. Service to the club. They ask about each other’s families, they talk about the glory days.

But at the end, it’s the same: a small envelope is surreptitiously handed over, sometimes under the pretense of a letter for a relative, or some information about a former teammate, or an article that the chairman thought might be “of interest.” But I’ve seen the envelopes and I know what they really hold—some worn notes carefully smoothed out and arranged, a few hundred birr, if that. A pittance, but an important pittance for these men who, whether through poor planning or poor luck or quite often from just doing what they needed to do to survive the years of oppression that ravaged the country, have been left with virtually nothing from their days representing V.

I exhale hard and turn my chair around to the window, thinking again about young Abera.

The bottom line is that he has to grow up. I almost wince as I think it. He’s seventeen, and I’m demanding that he grows up.

We are heading into a new universe—there are Brazilian and Argentine scouts at our games, and it’s not clear if they’re after Deyas or Abera or Elmi or Addisu. Or all of them. Abera has a following on YouTube, and a fan club based in America is already campaigning for him to join DC United.

And we just signed a teenager from Zimbabwe. His name is Kennedy Dube, and if all goes well, he’ll pair with Elmi on the outside for years to come. But it means we now have visas to process and parental consent forms to keep on file and meetings with coaches to ease him into the team and travel budgets for him to visit home and invitations from Zimbabwean teams for friendlies. And I now worry about players whose only common tongue is English—no Amharic and no Arabic and certainly none of the dozens of other languages spoken in the squad.

It’s all coming faster than I want it to. And maybe faster than we’re ready for. I believe that I’m ready for it, that Dagchew is ready for it—even if he has already mentioned that he always wants Saint George to “be an Ethiopian side”—and the players themselves are ready for it. But altogether, as a team, as an organization, as a collection of men working towards a common goal? I’m not so sure.

I shake my head and stand, gathering my gym bag and heading down to the changing room, unsettled as I ever have been inside these walls.

Faster Than I Want It To. November 14, 2010.

I’ve brought Kennedy along with the team on the short trip to Egypt. It’s too soon for him to play, but I want him to be part of it. I’ve already pulled Liban aside and talked with the two of them about how I want them to be mirrors, Kennedy on the left wing and Liban on the right. At sixteen, Elmi is two years younger, but he knows the system and has played fantastically for us, well beyond his tender years.

This game should be a tight affair: we’re up one goal, but the Ismaily fans are loud and I don’t expect it to be an easy game on their home field. Most importantly for us, Abera will miss the game after his red card, so Ishmael Ishmael gets thrown into the fire on the left of midfield. But the rest of the lineup is our usual first team, and I’m hopeful that we can at least hold our Egyptian hosts in check.

Three minutes in, Kebede is set free from a long pass from Elmi, but his shot goes well wide.

I turn to the seats behind me. “Kennedy, did you see that?” He nods. “That’s what we want, accurate passes that create shots. And see how he is tracking their midfield? He’s looking for times to make runs that don’t leave his side exposed.” Dube nods, his eyes fixed on Elmi as he dashes back across the pitch.

Ten minutes in, Mohamed Abou Grisha takes a nasty fall. Blood is pouring from a cut on his forehead, and he’s done for the day, forcing veteran Hommos to come off the Ismaily bench.

The best chance of the game falls to Hany El Agazy, Ismaily’s leading scorer, who is free behind our back line on a break. Deyas has to come out to cut down the angle, then leap high to send his chip sailing wide of goal.

Other than that, though, we’re playing them to a virtual standstill. Which would be, of course, sufficient.

Seven minutes from halftime, Ishmael Ishmael does his best impersonation of Abera himself. Again, the move starts with Liban Elmi, who sends Kebede toward the far sideline with a well weighted pass. Ishmael times his run well, and Kebede’s pass leads him straight towards the near post, where he slides the ball just out of reach of a diving Essam El Hadary.

We’ve stolen a goal, and have pushed our aggregate edge to two.

I talk with Dagchew about what to do before we head into the locker room. On the one hand, we need to protect the lead. On the other, changing our basic approach is always dangerous: we practice seven days a week being an attacking team, and asking them to hold back contains the possibility of derailing everything.

So, we don’t hold back. At least for a while.

We have five players beginning to tire but I want to leave them on for a little. Ismaily, on the other hand, uses their final two substitutions. That means the game will be decide in the next thirty minutes—if we still hold the lead at the end, we should be able to take advantage of their fatigue.

Each team has a great chance in the first ten minutes of the second half, with Deyas scrambling across his goal to catch a header and El Hadary doing the same to keep Gawo from scoring. Trading chances—even trading goals—of course, is to our favor.

Just shy of an hour, Ishmael is absolutely flattened in the box, run over from behind by their defender, but the whistle stays silent. It’s a horrid miss that both denies us a penalty and leaves our young winger limping visibly.

“Firdu!” Demeska hurries over, unzipping his yellow warmup jacket as he does. “You’re in for Gawo, tell Asssani to move up to the right wing, OK? And control it from back there—I want more possession. Don’t change the game, just take your time.”

They hit the post twice: Khaled Zaïri from a dozen yards out on a corner and then Ahmed Badawi sends a rocket across to the far post that eludes Deyas but rolls out of bounds off the crossbar.

Bajope and Elmi have both picked up yellow cards, which means they miss the next match. Elmi’s was especially sloppy, a late challenge that could even have earned him a straight red. “Kennedy, remember when I said to emulate Liban? Not that part.” Dube smiles, which I appreciate.

We’re exhausted, as are they, but they find some energy when El Agazy gets free in the box and beats Deyas to the far post. We have eight minutes left, and a one goal lead on aggregate.

By the end, Mulugeta is injured as well, and we’ve added Regassa in midfield to try to drag things out. But it comes down to Deyas, who makes consecutive diving saves off a corner. Atakilti Mengesha—on for a largely ineffective Bereket Addisu—has a breakaway, and does the smart thing: he combines with Bajope to waste another two minutes.

I groan when the fourth official shows four minutes of extra time, and it’s with reason: Ismaily is pushing the attack as hard as they can, but Deyas makes two more saves and finally the final whistle comes. The players aren’t sure how to react: they are utterly spent, and while excited to make it into the next round, they also know things won’t get any easier: we join Al-Ahly, Al-Ain, Al-Wahda, Haras El-Hodoud, Qadsia, and Al-Ittihad in the quarterfinals.

RASS Cup Second Round Leg 2

Ismaily Sporting Club v Saint George, Ismailia Stdium

Ismaily 1 (Hany El Agazy 82) – St. George 1 (Ishmael Ishmael 39) [st. George win 3-2 on aggregate]

MoM: Hommos (7.7) V’s Best: Ishmael (7.5)

Attendance: 17,328. Referee: Asmare Zenebe.

[Makonnen]

Three Matches

November 21, 2010

Fitsum Kebede put V on top with a curling strike from twenty yards out, but the real story in a game that Saint George thoroughly dominated was the play of Nyala’s teenage goalkeeper, Asrat Sufa, who kept his side in the match with save after save, repelling the host’s superior attacking force again and again.

Ethio Premiere

Saint George v Nyala Sports Club, Addis Ababa Stadium

Saint George 1 (Fitsum Kebede 11) – Nyala SC 0

MoM: Kebede (7.7)

Attendance: 4755. Referee: Virgalem Wigidrigs.

November 24, 2010

Only a magnificent game from stalwart goalkeeper Adugna Deyas preserved Saint George’s unbeaten streak in the league, which now stands at 37 games. Metehara Sugar’s unorthodox formation, with five midfielders and only three true defenders consistently broke up V’s attacking moves, allowing the visitors to press forwards themselves in a constantly dangerous series of attacks.

Ethio Premiere

Metehara Sugar v Saint George, Sugar Stadium

Metehara Sugar 0 – St. George 0

MoM: Liban Elmi (7.2)

Attendance: 1150. Referee: Tessema Bayisse.

The draw does, however, drop Saint George into an unfamiliar position: second in the league behind Awassa who sit atop the table with a perfect twelve points from four games.

November 28, 2010

Saint George will be disappointed by their victory after peppering the Muger Cement goal all day, but only breaking through with a short range volley from Fitsum Kebede just after the interval. Kebede and Bereket Addisu both looked likely to score numerous times, although the miss of the match was a long range bomb from Lencho Skibba that bounced off the underside of the crossbar and appeared to land inside the goal line. While the victory, combined with Awassa’s tie earlier in the day, moves V back atop the league, Tadesse Makonnen’s side will have to do better if they want to preserve their spot at the apex of Ethiopian football.

Ethio Premiere

Saint George v Muger Cement, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 1 (Fitsum Kebede 55) – Muger Cement 0

MoM: Kebede (7.2)

Attendance: 4371. Referee: Atalay Dereje.

[Makonnen]

Too Much for Beer

December 1, 2010

Mohammed Abera provided a play in the 38th minute that will surely be on the annual highlight reel, not just for St. George, but for the league as a whole as he embarked on a mazy run through the box culminating in a delightful back heel to Bereket Addisu that the young striker deposited neatly in the back of the net. The goal may have been Addisu’s, but the play was all Abera’s, and should only serve to increase the interest of foreign clubs in the young starlet. Just before halftime, Addisu would add a low screamer from twenty yards for the final margin.

The win for V was comfortable, if a tad unimpressive, and, combined with Awassa’s 2-0 victory over Adama City ensured that the deadlock atop the league remained.

Ethio Premiere

Saint George v Bahir Dar Kenema, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 2 (Bereket Addisu 39 43) – Bahir Dar 0

MoM: Addisu (8.8)

Attendance: 2756. Referee: Asmare Zenebe.

December 4, 2010

When Atakilti Mengesha calmly shot past Meta Abo’s keeper just minutes into the game, it seemed that Saint George would be able to name their goal scoring total on the day. However, the hosts’ resolve stiffened and only a magnificent header midway through the second half from recent Zimbabwean signing Peter Moyo doubled V’s goals on the day. Meta Abo has cause for encouragement, not just for their improved defensive efforts, but also for the inspiring determination shown by Behailu Demeke who was able to follow hard after his shot was initially blocked by Adugna Deyas and bundle the rebound through Deyas, Moyo, and Eshetu Mohammed and into the goal for the first strike against Saint George all season.

Still, in the end the superior quality of the champions showed through and while the win may be by fewer goals than expected, the victory was no less deserved. It was also quite costly: brilliant young defender Liban Elmi will be lost to V for at least three months, having damaged his heel early in the first half.

Ethio Premiere

Meta Abo Brewery Sports Club v Saint George, Bankoch Stadium

Meta Abo 1 (Behailu Demeke 81) – St. George 2 (Atakilti Mengesha 6, Peter Moyo 79)

MoM: Assani Bajope (7.7)

Attendance: 1362. Referee: Zekarias Fega Girma.

December 7, 2010

As expected, Saint George had little trouble dispatching with Harrar Beer in the first leg of their quarterfinal matchup in the Ethio-Italian Friendship Cup. First half goals by Lencho Skibba and Peter Moyo put the hosts up early in the first half and a brief spell of complacency shortly after the interval, capped by a lovely header from Harrar’s Mulatu Tegegne, was quickly quelled by a magnificent second half performance from V’s young superstar, Mohammed Abera.

Scoring first on a deft header that left Harrar goalkeeper Bekaylu Shasute flat-footed in his goal and then on a thundering volley from close range, Abera controlled the game magnificently when his side needed him most.

The result underscores Harrar’s poor luck in drawing their compatriots at this stage of the competition, as they look to be a strong enough team to have given some of the foreign sides a run for their money.

Ethio-Italian Friendship Cup, Quarterfinal Leg One

Saint George v Harrar Beer Bottling Football Club, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 4 (Lencho Skibba 10, Peter Moyo 21, Mohammed Abera 68 75) – Harrar Beer 1 (Mulatu Tegegne 57)

MoM: Abera (9.4)

Attendance: 2424. Referee: Teshager Vassalo.

[DeadPanda]

Brilliantly written, Mak. I find it surprising the lack of comments on such a well written piece! Keep it up, I'm enjoying it and your others.

[Makonnen]

Thanks, DeadPanda! Thrilled to have you along for the ride. I have some storylines planned for this story in the future, but right now I am enjoying the shorter summaries for them ... hope they are working for the readers, too.

More Beer, Coffee, and a Clash of the Top Two.

December 11, 2010.

The second game between these two sides in less than a week was a testy, physical affair but again Harrar Beer was forced to succumb to the superior quality of Saint George. Despite a scoreless first half, V took control in the second behind a long distance strike from Bereket Addisu and a powerful shot from inside the box from Fitsum Kebede.

Off the pitch goings-on were as much the focus of attention as the action, however, with the icy relations between the two coaches apparent before and after the match: the traditional embrace before the game was awkward and stiff, surely the result of Harrar’s Biniyam Woldeselassie refusal to congratulate V’s Tadesse Makonnen after the earlier victory. At the end of this match, Makonnen offered a hand to Woldeselassie, only to see the young coach grab it briefly, then throw his arm down forcefully before marching off to the dressing room.

When asked about it after the game, Makonnen avoided a direct answer, focusing instead on his team’s moving into sole possession of first place in the league after Trans Ethiopia’s Yaregal Negash scored to secure a tie against second place Awassa.

Ethio Premiere

Harrar Beer Bottling Football Club v Saint George, Harar Bira Stadium

Harrar Beer 0 – St. George 2 (Bereket Addisu 48, Fitsum Kebede 74)

MoM: Kebede (7.3)

Attendance: 949. Referee: Asmare Zenebe.

December 15, 2010

Saint George were put in an unfamiliar position on the half hour, with Efrem Bahru giving Ethiopian Coffee the early lead, capping off a clever series of passes inside the box with a deft volley past Adugna Deyas. Buna were unable to hold the lead however as Fitsum Kebede leveled ten minutes before halftime with a shot from an impossibly tight angle that easily beat Alemnew Tadem to his near post. Just before halftime, Kebede doubled his tally on the day with a magnificent free kick from forty yards out that swerved wickedly to elude Tadem’s dive.

On the hour, it was again Kebede from a similar distance, this time from open play and, the wily attacker’s hat trick ensured, the champions coasted to victory. Second place Awassa lost their first game of the season, 3-0 to Banks SC, extending the gap between V and Awassa to five points; however, the two sides meet in three days time in a match certain to have the full attention of the country.

Ethio Premiere

Saint George v Ethiopian Coffee Sport Club, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 3 (Fitsum Kebede 35 45+2 60) – Ethiopian Coffee 1 (Efrem Bahru 27)

MoM: Kebede (9.6)

Attendance: 5219. Referee: Shukri Gudina.

December 18, 2010

A volley from Bereded Gawo gave Saint George the first half lead in the clash of the titans in the Premiere League. With their loss to Banks SC last week, this had turned into a must-win match for Awassa if they wanted to make their pretensions towards unseating the champions a reality; however, while the visitors looked dangerous, they were unable to find the back of the net in the first half.

V’s starlet, Mohammed Abera, was forced off just after halftime with a foot injury and while his departure clearly decreased the danger of their attack, Saint George never looked likely to surrender a goal, and only strong play by Wubeshet Deseleghn in Awassa’s goal kept the scoreline close.

The victory was costly for the champions: Abera will be out until sometime in February, further weakening a Saint George side that, while undefeated in over forty league games, looks unlikely to finish the national season with their perfect record intact.

Ethio Premiere

Awassa City v Saint George, Awassa Kenema Stadium

Awassa 0 – St. George 1 (Bereded Gawo 29)

MoM: Gawo (7.5)

Attendance: 1280. Referee: Atalay Dereje.

[Makonnen]

Three Competitions, Three Games

December 22, 2010

Coach Tadesse Makonnen took a risk today in Saint George’s match with Harrar Beer in the Ethio-Italian Cup, and it almost backfired horrendously for the competition’s defending runner-ups. Fielding a team of youngsters and reserves, V lost—their first defeat to an Ethiopian side in over a year—by a score of 2-0. However, it wasn’t quite enough for a scrappy Harrar team, as they still lost on aggregate by a single goal.

Bira opened the scoring after a penalty was called on V’s starting center defender, Firdu Demeske. Abebe Demeke put the shot away with confidence, and the intensity of the home team only increased when, just after halftime, promising teenage midfielder Ashenafi Abebe laced in a thirty yard free kick past a diving Adugna Deyas.

While V progress to the next round, and while the loss will not end their streak of undefeated league matches, it certainly has raised the volume of whispers that perhaps this year’s Saint George team is not quite up to the quality of last year’s championship side.

Ethio-Italian Friendship Cup Quarterfinal Leg 2

Harrar Beer Bottling Football Club v Saint George, Harar Bira Stadium

Harrar Beer 2 (Abebe Demeke 7p, Ashenafi Abebe 49) – St. George 0

MoM: Ali Tesseme (7.4) V’s Best: Adugna Deyas (6.8)

Attendance: 852. Referee: Shukri Gudina.

January 1, 2011

When Egyptian national team veteran Osama Hosny freed himself inside the box and found the open space to Adugna Deyas’ far post, it looked as if Al-Ahly would go on to a dominant win against Saint George in the first leg of their RASS Cup quarterfinal match. However, the visiting side managed to survive the first half—including a torrid five minute to close the period that saw Hosny, Francis Doe, and Mohammed Abou Trika all fail to convert on close-range opportunities—and the Ethiopian side comes out much more composed for the final forty-five minutes of the game.

While disappointed with any loss, being only down 1-0 with the second leg yet to play in Addis Ababa leaves Tadesse Makonnen’s men with a glimmer of hope, providing they are able to play to the top of their potential when the two sides meet again in early February.

RASS Cup Quarterfinal Leg One

Al-Ahly Sporting Club v Saint George, Cairo International Stadium

Al-Ahly 1 (Osama Hosny 16) – St. George 0

MoM: Mohamed Megahed (8.4) V’s Best: Peter Moyo (7.1)

Attendance: 53,807. Referee: Umeta Ibrahim.

January 5, 2011

Aided by an own goal and a reckless penalty, Saint George cruised to an easy victory over Shashemane today, extending their unbeaten streak in the league to forty-five games. V saw a goal from each of their first string attacking players: Bereket Addisu opened up the scoring with a curling shot from outside the box, Lencho Skibba capitalized on a loose ball on the hour mark for his score, and, thirteen minutes from time, Fitsum Kebede calmly converted from the penalty spot after Shashemane’s Mulalem Ahmed hauled down V’s Ishmael Ishmael in the box.

With the dominance of the win, and the gritty and spirited performance earlier in the week against Al-Ahly, perhaps the champions have done enough to quiet the murmurs of displeasure that had begun to emerge among their faithful supporters.

Ethio Premiere

Saint George v Shashemane City, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 4 (Bereket Addisu 2, Andualem Sefa 13og, Lencho Skibba 60, Fitsum Kebede 77p) – Shashemane 0

MoM: Addisu (8.6)

Attendance: 3160. Referee: Makonnen Gudina.

[Makonnen]

Shock and Awe

January 9, 2011

It was near total dominance in Tigray Stadium in Aksum where Saint George had the measure of a determined but undermanned Trans Ethiopia side. Ethiopian stalwart Samson Mulugeta opened the scoring in the first half with a goal from a corner kick and wingers Bereded Gawo and Bayeh Kahsay added volleys from inside the box on either side of halftime.

V’s clean sheet was spoiled when Trans Ethiopia’s promising youngster Yaregal Negash got free on a long breakaway, beating three St. George defenders before coolly slotting the ball past Deyas and into the back of the net, but it was no more than cold comfort for the home side on the day.

Ethio Premiere

Trans Ethiopia v Saint George, Tigray Stadium

Trans Ethiopia 1 (Yaregal Negash 74) – St. George 3 (Samson Mulugeta 24, Bereded Gawo 41, Bayeh Kahsay 69)

MoM: Gawo (8.2)

Attendance: 727. Referee: Yohannes Kayira.

January 12, 2011

We all knew it would happen at some point, but none of us thought it would happen this soon and certainly not in this way: in a shocking development, lowly Adama City—a team hovering on the edge of relegation—took the lead eighteen minutes into the game on a lovely spell of possession, capped by a deft move that saw Berhane Alemseged send Deyas one way then slide the ball across his body and into the back of the net.

It was an early deficit, but Saint George had come back from that before, and the crowd of over 3,000, most clad in red and yellow, surely assumed they would do so again. In fact they were dominant throughout the half and while numerous chances were turned away by Gebremedin Adugna in Adama’s goal, the best chance of the first half came from a Bereket Addisu free kick sent in from thirty yards and banging off the crossbar.

The second half brought more of the same, and with thirty minutes left, the anxiety in the crowd became palpable. Surely this would not be the day? Thirteen minutes from time, V had perhaps their best chance when Addisu found Lencho Skibba inside the box, but Skibba’s shot was volleyed into the side netting, leaving the crowd wailing in disbelief.

When Mulugeta Dubarish’s final whistle blew, the cries turned to jeers from the home supporters.

The streak had ended in the most unimaginable of ways, with an uninspired performance against a far inferior side. Forty-six consecutive wins were now followed by a single, unbelievable loss.

Ethio Premiere

Saint George v Adama City Football Club, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 0 – Adama City 1 (Berhane Alemseged 19)

MoM: Meles Demeks (7.8) V’s Best: Bayeh Kahsay (6.9)

Attendance: 3155. Referee: Mulugeta Dubarish.

January 15, 2011

Sebeta City is a better side than Adama City, but Saint George still comes into this game a heavy favorite, and eager to prove that the loss earlier this week was merely an aberration. It was a fairly even first half: a drive from the edge of the box by Bereket Addisu was offset by a splendid one-on-one move from Girum Assefa to leave the game tied one apiece at the break.

Early in the second half, newly acquired V defender Peter Moyo was forced off with a leg injury. However, the visitors looked ascendant and multiple shots from Ochan Bayalegne and Fitsum Kebede were either narrowly wide, or deftly turned over the bar by Sebeta’s Mesfin Hussein. Even with the disparity in shots, however, Saint George was beginning to show signs of stress, accumulating half a dozen yellow cards in the course of the match.

The home side looked happy to settle for the single point until, five minutes from time, teenage substitute Andualem Anamo was able to beat the champion’s offside trap. He found himself free on goal and his shot sailed just out Deyas’ reach into the top of the net.

The home crowd was momentarily too stunned to cheer, and in the moment of silence you could hear Saint George’s players begin to yell at each other.

“What?”

“You stayed flat, Samson! What were you doing?”

“I stayed flat? He came through on your …”

And then the ecstatic cheers drowned everything else out, leaving the players in red and yellow staring angrily at each other.

Ethio Premiere

Sebeta City v Saint George, Sebeta City Stadium

Sebeta City 2 (Girum Assefa 32, Andualem Anamo 85) – St. George 1 (Bereket Addisu 14)

MoM: Bayeh Lelisho (7.4) V’s Best: Kennedy Dube (6.9)

Attendance: 1088. Referee: Ingida Telearegay.

[Makonnen]

We Both Should Learn. January 18, 2011

“So, I can give him this number and you’ll speak with him?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Thank you, Dawit. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it. And you know, if you ever want to come back home …”

The silence is a little longer than I anticipated, which is, I think, a good sign. “Thank you, Ato Tadesse.”

“Of course. Give my best to Zauditu.”

I put the phone down carefully. That was interesting. Dawit Mebratu was, in my mind, the best Ethiopian player abroad these days, currently toiling away in relative obscurity at Árabe Unido in Panama. He was their leading goalscorer, but was also widely expected to leave the club. If he wanted to return to the land of his birth and if he were willing to give us a discount, well, he could do quite well here as a returning hero.

But that was a matter for another time.

I shook my head and removed my glasses, setting them by the phone. This was not an easy few days: the losses were inevitable, but unexpected. More than that, they were a field day for the press, and I was being pilloried. That didn’t bother me, but the possible impact on the squad did. And then there was the true reason for my call to Ato Dawit.

Hoffenheim had just purchased Abera.

It was that simple. I was told this morning by Ato Abinet that the board had decided to accept their offer without consulting me. That rankled, but again, was inevitable. And it was nearly eight and a half million birr. Over half a million dollars American—enough to fund the club for quite some time.

The transfer didn’t go through until July, so we had essentially half a season to get Mohammed ready and find a replacement for him. There was a knock on the door interrupting my reverie. “Come in.”

It was both Abera and Dagchew. That was not what I wanted—Damese deserved to hear the news first, and in private. Some things cannot be controlled, however. Right now, actually, many things. I smiled slightly to myself as I rose from behind the desk. “Ato Dagchew. Mohammed. Come in, sit.”

Abera was still limping, his left foot in a protective boot. It was smaller than the last time I saw him, however, and he was putting a little weight on it—enough that I was encouraged that he would be back on the field within a few weeks.

As they settled into the chairs, I thought carefully about what to say. Both were highly emotional—one filled with the fervor of youth, the other with a passion and loyalty for Saint George that was unsurpassed. I steepled my fingers beneath my chin. Dagchew was engrossed in studying his hands.

“I have news. Mohammed, Ato Abinet and I met this morning. You have a great opportunity in front of you: a team in the German first division—the Bundesliga—is extremely interested in you.” The German word was thick on my tongue, but the foreign sounds had their desired effect, as Abera’s eyes widened slightly.

He fought to suppress his reaction beneath the unflappable cloak of attitude that only seventeen year olds can wear. “Really? Germany? Which one?”

I smiled. “Hoffenheim. Do you know where they are?” He bit at his lip and shook his head. “Neither do I.” I smiled encouragingly. “But I think we both should learn.”

Damese’s head snapped suddenly as he caught the meaning of my phrasing. After a moment, Mohammed did as well. He turned first to Damese then to me. “Wait … are they interested. Or …”

I glanced at Dagchew, hoping it was enough for him to hold his reaction. “It’s done, Mohammed. You go to Germany in July.” I was unsuccessful: Dagchew’s voice exploded from his throat.

“What?”

“Our young Abera will be playing in one of the finest leagues in Europe next season. It’s an exciting moment, Dagchew.”

“But, they can’t just like …”

I cut him off, repeating myself firmly while looking at my assistant. “An exciting moment for us all.” I stood, pausing to grab a book from the shelf that lined the wall while I moved around the desk. “I know you want to be the one to tell your family. And there should be some people from Hoffenheim here in a few days. Before then, you may want to look at this.”

I hand him the book, an Amharic-German phrasebook. It’s old, probably from the 60s, but it should get him started. More importantly, the book gives him something tangible, some physical proof of what is happening. He reaches out tentatively. “Go on, take it.”

He does, mumbling his thanks and turning the book over in his hands. He looks up at me again. “July?”

I nod. “So, we have a few months. You have half a season, you have the Addis Cup, you have our second leg in RASS, you have the Champions League. Here is the question for you, Mohammed. How do you want to leave the country? You have a chance to leave here like a comet, exploding against the sky. Or you can slide away, without leaving a mark.”

I half expect him to roll his eyes, but he doesn’t. Instead, he just nods and says only, “Germany.”

[Makonnen]

Free Fall.

January 19, 2011

Looking to revive their fortunes against Sidama Coffee in their opening game of the City Cup, a reeling Saint George fielded a team largely full of reserves, backed by a bench of youth players today at Addis Ababa Stadium.

Less than a minute in, they offered a bit of an answer when Mulalem Regassa was allowed to stroll thirty yards up the field unmarked. Regassa picked out Ochan Bayalegne streaking in from the left wing and delivered a long pass that was inch perfect, allowing the reserve forward to tap the ball in from close range. While dominating play, V were unable to find the back of the net again until five minutes before halftime, when a long cross from Anteneche Gezachsen found a streaking Ishmael Ishmael at the far post. Ishmael’s header was clean, leaving Sidama’s Renate Alimirah no chance to react.

However, the match turned in the second half with the defending cup holders unable to add to their lead until, with five minutes left, Sidama was able to find a somewhat fortuitous lifeline when Daniel Skibba fumbled a cross into the back of the net. Skibba’s luck evened out shortly thereafter when only a brilliant diving save from Adugna Deyas prevented him from tying the game in extra time.

While a win is a win, St. George’s fans are unlikely to be happy with the manner of victory, and the questions being asked of the defending league and cup champions have yet to be answered.

Addis Cup Group A

Saint George v Sidama Coffee Sporting Club, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 2 (Ochan Bayalegne 1, Ishmael Ishmael 39) – Sidama Coffee 1 (Daniel Skibba 85)

MoM: Abebaw Butako (7.9) V’s Best: Ishmael (7.5)

Attendance: 2415. Referee: Makonnen Gudina.

January 22, 2011

Saint George may best be described as reeling at this point: a shaky win is certainly not enough to offset their nearly unthinkable consecutive losses. Add to that the announcement of the pending departure of teenage starlet Mohammed Abera to Germany and with surprising Banks SC nipping at their heels in the league, and the stars of the capital, just recently assumed to be well on their way to another year dominating the national scene, are currently far, far from those lofty heights.

Today offers Banks a rare chance at home to climb firmly back into the title race, and their supporters were in fine voice, drumming, singing, and dancing their support. The first half was fairly even until, just minutes before halftime, a long clearance drew Adugna Deyas out of his box at a rush.

Tragically for the champions, his header was clumsy, and fell directly to the feet of Banks’ Abraham Werate, who was faced with an open goal from thirty yards out. Inexplicably, Werate pulled the gift chance wide to the left, and V were truly lucky to head into halftime still scoreless.

V came out strong in the second half, but Banks was able to withstand the pressure well and, with fifteen minutes remaining, substitute Mohammed Kendaya was able to slide through the center of the Saint George defense and beat Deyas with a low shot just inside the far post. As the home faithful celebrated, Saint George was again looking at a possible loss.

When the final whistle blew, the men in yellow and red once again looked lost, wandering around the pitch for a few moments before slowly dragging themselves into the locker room. The club is in free fall at this point, and the question of what, if anything, can stop their descent is quite open. Supporters of the club will point to their position atop the league table, but a once seemingly insurmountable lead has shrunk to a single point over second place Awassa and only two points ahead of today’s foe.

Ethio Premiere

Ethiopain Banks Sporting Club v Saint George, Bankoch Stadium

Banks SC 1 (Mohammed Kendaya 74) – St. George 0

MoM: Getu Teshome (7.5) V’s Best: Kennedy Dube (7.4)

Attendance: 2325. Referee: Asmare Zenebe.

January 24, 2011

A maiden goal from teenage loanee Dessegnaw Jemberu gave Saint George a first half lead in their second match in Addis Cup group play. The rest of the game was dominated by the champions, but the killer instinct that has defined their play for the last year and a half is clearly missing: while Sidama never looked likely to even the score, V were largely toothless as well, unable to capitalize on any number of excellent opportunities.

Still, at this point, Tadesse Makonnen will take any traction that helps them regain their footing, even an unimpressive win in a competition where they should qualify easily into the next round.

Addis Cup Group A

Sidama Coffee Sporting Club v Saint George, Mebrat Hall Stadium

Sidama Coffee 0 – St. George 1 (Dossegnaw Jemberu 42)

MoM: Mulalem Tessema (8.0)

Attendance: 926. Referee: Seyoum Haile Mariam.

[Makonnen]

Crawling Around the Corner.

January 26, 2011

Trying desperately to regain their form, Saint George took the early lead with a half-volley from the edge of the box from Lencho Skibba. Skibba seemed determined to right the fortunes of the champions all by himself on the day with his continued strong running at the Nyala defense and it was his short cross into the path of a streaking Bereket Addisu that gave V their second goal.

However, just before halftime, the once impregnable Saint George defense gave up yet another soft goal when Samson Mulugeta backed off an advancing Egziabher Tefera, allowing the small midfielder to score his first goal for Nyala and perhaps give the home team a way back into the match. V showed more resolve than they have in recent weeks and just before the whistle blew for halftime, a Kennedy Dube cross was met by Assani Bajope inside the box. His header went off the bottom of the crossbar and off the back of Asrat Sufa for an unlucky own goal, but few could complain that the scoreline was not reflective of the match.

The second half brought more dominance, but no more goals. Still, the Saint George faithful should be encouraged, both by the performance and—perhaps more importantly—the possible return of Mohammed Abera in the next few weeks.

Ethio Premiere

Nyala Sports Club v Saint George, Nyala Stadium

Nyala SC 1 (Egziabher Tefera 41) – St. George 3 (Lencho Skibba 5, Bereket Addisu 27, Asrat Sufa 45+1og)

MoM: Lencho Skibba (8.7)

Attendance: 1196. Referee: Samson Gawo.

January 29, 2011

For three-fourths of the game, EEPCO looked the next team likely to take advantage of St. George’s struggles. In this case, it would be a single point as the Power Company managed only one weak attempt on goal. V, on the other hand, peppered the EEPCO goal with shots, but Adamu Sina was solid between the pipes, and a nil-nil draw, while perhaps unfair to the struggling champions, seemed likely.

With fifteen minutes left, however, Bayeh Kahsay sent a long cross into the box that may have, in fact, been overshot beyond the reach of its target, Atakilti Mengesha. Luckily for V, Bereket Addisu continued his run to the far post, and neatly headed the ball in for a 1-0 lead, and a much needed victory.

Ethio Premiere

Saint George v Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 1 (Bereket Addisu 76) – EEPCO 0

MoM: Bayeh Kahsay (8.4)

Attendance: 3245. Referee: Atalay Dereje.

January 31, 2011

Tadesse Makonnen chose a decidedly different team today, reaching into his youth side, both for starters and most of his bench. This is the time of year that tests the depth of most Ethiopian squads, so whether this reflects a shift in long-term strategy or just a momentary decision on behalf of the taciturn coach is yet to be seen. Today, against a weakened Defence squad, it paid dividends when, just twenty minutes in, 17 year old Efrem Abera scored his first goal for the senior squad when he pounced on a loose ball in the box and knocked it firmly into the back of the net.

The goal was well deserved, and in fact V were unlucky not to be up by several by that point, as they thoroughly dominated the early going. The game evened out a bit from there, but Saint George still looked well in control at the half with the 1-0 lead.

In the end, the verdict has to remain mixed: Saint George dominated the game, sending two dozen shots at the Defence goal. But they only scored once, and the inexperience of Makonnen’s squad riddled the game: a missed pass there, a poor touch here, players not in the right position by a few yards. The energy and enthusiasm were unmistakable, but the result—while well-deserved—was also underwhelming.

Still, with nine points from three games, the defending champions were well clear of Sidama Coffee in Group A of the City Cup, and were in fact the only team in the competition to win each of their matches.

Addis Cup Group A

Saint George v Defence Sports Club, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 1 (Efrem Abera 23) – Defence SC 0

MoM: Tewelde Tilahun (7.5) V’s Best: Gabriel Junedi (7.4)

Attendance: 3195. Referee: Virgalem Wigidrgis.

[Makonnen]

A Good Turn

February 2, 2011

Thrown into the first team as a result of injuries and the winter’s crush of games, eighteen year old Dossegnaw Jemberu, on loan at Saint George from Bahir Dar, continues to impress. Today, in a game that remained all too close against Southern Police, Jemberu found the back of the net, scoring after a brilliant interception and pass from Assani Bajope.

There was little else to recommend the game however and while V kept the lead, and first place in the league to go with it, they are still struggling to regain form.

Ethio Premiere

Saint George v Southern Police, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 1 (Dossegnaw Jemberu 13) – Southern Police 0

MoM: Bayeh Kahsay (7.7)

Attendance: 3139. Referee: Shukri Gudina.

February 3, 2011

Saint George may have fielded a depleted side for their second game in two days, but as long as Lencho Skibba is available, V remains dangerous. Others may praise the superstar talent of Mohammed Abera or the scoring prowess of Bereket Addisu or the silky play of Skibba’s running partner, Fitsum Kebede, but it is Skibba who is the engine that makes V’s machine go, and today it was a well-oiled machine. The twenty-two year old opened the scoring just five minutes into the match, taking a well-weighted through ball from youngster Saladin Yemenu and easily beating Asrat Hailu in Defence SC’s goal.

Ten minutes from the end of the first half, it was Skibba again, this time launching a high corner to the far post where want-away defender Firdu Demeksa met it with a strong header for his first ever goal for Saint George. When Bereket Addisu combined with Ochan Bayalegne inside the box just before halftime to push the lead to three, suddenly V looked like the dynamo they have been in the past.

The second half was largely uneventful, indeed the most notable event was the return to the field of Abera, who came on as a late substitute after over a month on the sidelines with an ankle injury. Abera showed a little of his former magic with a mazy run through the box, but Bayalegne botched the sitter, denying Abera the assist and himself the brace.

Still, V will be thrilled with the first half and with the hints of a return to form it suggests for Tadesse Makonnen’s men.

Addis Cup Group A

Defence Sports Club v Saint George, Addis Ababa Stadium

Defence SC 0 – St. George 3 (Lencho Skibba 6, Firdu Demeska 37, Ochan Bayalegne 45+2)

MoM: Skibba (8.7)

Attendance: 2539. Referee: Zekarias Fega Girma.

February 5, 2011

There was little to separate the leading two sides in the league as Banks SC and Saint George clashed in the Addis Cup. Scoreless at halftime, as the second half wore on it felt more and more like a game where a moment of individual skill would be the deciding factor. If true, that favored Saint George, with Fitsum Kebede running rampant on the field and Mohammed Abera on the substitute’s bench.

Instead, if the game could be reduced to one person, it was probably Samuel Getaneh in Banks’ goal who made the difference, turning away a marvelous shot by Kebede at the near post and clearing the constant pressure from V’s front line calmly and without confusion.

That said, the draw must be considered a team victory for Banks, who showed clearly that they belong in the conversation with the defending champions. The tie was enough to secure Saint George’s qualification into the next round, allowing them to use their final group game (also against Banks) to rest key players.

Addis Cup Group A

Saint George v Banks Sporting Club, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 0 – Banks SC 0

MoM: Kennedy Dube (7.5)

Attendance: 2834. Referee: Gebrekristos Werate.

[Makonnen]

February 9, 2011

With most of his squad away on international duty, Tadesse Makonnen was forced to turn to a host of reserve and youth players for today’s game against Metehara Sugar, many of whom were seeing their first action of the year. Luckily for V, the opposition wasn’t up to the game and two of the promising youngsters—Umar Kidan and Alula Germa—scored their first league goals for the champions. Add a dominating performance from seventeen year old holding midfielder Makonnen Mamo, and the champions coasted to a 2-0 win.

Perhaps this injection of class will mark a turn of fortune for Saint George, but there is no guarantee of any carry-over, given that only Peter Moyo was present on the day from the usual first team.

Ethio Premiere

Saint George v Metehara Sugar, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 2 (Umar Kidan 9, Alula Germa 13) - Metehara Sugar 0

MoM: Makonnen Mamo (8.5)

Attendance: 3906. Referee: Atalay Dereje.

February 13, 2011

Today’s preliminary round play-in for the African Champions League saw the African Stars of Namibia travel to Ethiopia to meet Saint George at Addis Ababa Stadium. Victory across these two legs would ensure participation in the first full round of the competition in March.

After a dominant forty minutes to start play, Saint George finally broke through when Lencho Skibba gathered a sideways pass into the box from Bereket Addisu and slid the ball back across the body of Zweli Dladla in African Stars’ goal.

Ethiopian national team defender Samson Mulugeta added a goal on a well struck volley from a corner kick, and V won a game they never looked like surrendering a goal in, let alone losing. It was a long-awaited confident victory for Tadesse Makonnen’s men, and the two goal edge put them in a comfortable position for the second leg in Namibia in a few weeks time.

Champions League Preliminary Round Leg One

Saint George v African Stars (Namibia), Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 2 (Lencho Skibba 41, Samson Mulugeta 54) – African Stars 0

MoM: Mulugeta (8.1)

Attendance: 5176. Referee: Jerome Damon.

Happy Valentine's Day. February 14, 2011

With progress from their group secured, Saint George fielded a decidedly second best team against Banks SC in today’s Addis Cup matchup between the teams currently sitting top two in the league. The first half hour of the proceedings were dominated by a single player, Banks’ teenage striker Abraham Werate who hit the post once and gone close twice more in attack. Werate is clearly still learning the technique required to succeed at this level, but the physical skills—the pace, the style, the athleticism—were all on display.

But it was Werate’s strike partner, Habtamu Mengessha, who opened the scoring by pouncing on a loose ball in the box and hammering a shot beyond the reach of Mesfin Negash, substituting for Adugna Deyas in Saint George’s goal.

The game remained 1-0 to Banks deep into the night until, with only two minutes remaining in injury time, Banks defender Daniel Skibba was called for a trip in the box on V’s young winger Umar Kidan. Young Dossegnaw Jemberu, whose performances have been one of the unexpected bright spots in Saint George’s campaign so far, stepped up and calmly dispatched the penalty, salvaging a draw for Saint George in a game they looked destined to lose.

The draw could prove costly for Banks: they now need a convincing victory over Sidama Coffee in the final Group A match to move on to the next round of play. One of those two teams will join Saint George, along with Nyala SC, Insurance, Ethiopian Coffee, and Dedebit in the next round.

Addis Cup Group A

Banks Sporting Club v Saint George, Bankoch Stadium

Banks SC 1 (Habtamu Mengessha 31) – St. George 1 (Dossegnaw Jemberu 90+2p)

MoM: Getu Teshome (7.3) V’s Best: Umar Kidan (7.0)

Attendance: 1773. Referee: Asmare Zenebe.

[gavrenwick]

Unbeaten in ten, going well Tadesse.

[Makonnen]

@gavrenwick, I guess so--I don't think I have ever had a team in first place that felt as shaky as this one--it's not just the fall from their dominance of last season, it's the way the rest of the league has caught up. I fear difficulty ahead. As always, love the fact that you--anyone--is following along, especially since I have turned this one into a less narrative thread.

When We Tie, We Lose; When We Lose, We Win

February 16, 2011

A wet, rainy day, a lackluster match, and, as if any were needed, further proof that the malaise that has plagued the champions all year has yet to dissipate. Some may say that Cement is a worthy opponent, reflected in their top five position in the league, but most observers agree they are over-performing on the year. Today, however, if either team deserved the three points, it was Cement and only brilliant moments from the two Saint George central defenders, Peter Moyo and Samson Mulugeta, as well as two fantastic saves on breakaways by Adugna Deyas, saved V from an inglorious defeat.

Ethio Premiere

Muger Cement v Saint George, Wonji Stadium

Muger Cement 0 – St. George 0

MoM: Tadessi Assefa (7.4) V’s Best: Peter Moyo (7.1)

Attendance: 1462. Referee: Yohannes Kayira.

February 19, 2011

While ongoing bureaucratic struggles continue to prevent Saint George from fielding a full strength side in the All-Africa Challenge, it would likely not have changed today’s result as Tunisian side Club Africain was just too strong for the hosts. Two goals in the space of four minutes—one by Zeka Gooré and the second on a lovely finish from Tunisian national midfielder Anis Boujelbene—opened the account in the first half, and, if anything, the 2-0 deficit at halftime flattered the Ethiopian side.

Saint George came out much brighter in the second half with both Bereket Addisu and Mohammed Abera missing chances that would have given them a lifeline back into the match. Still, Club Africain were the deserved winners, and V will have to improve their play significantly to progress from a hard group that also includes Ocean Boys, Raja Casablanca, and FAR Rabat.

African Challenge Group G

Saint George v Club Africain Tunis, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 0 – Club Africain 2 (Zeka Gooré 24, Anis Boujelbene 28)

MoM: Hichem Essifi (8.2) V’s Best: Samuel Degefe (6.8)

Attendance: 4176. Referee: Atalay Dereje.

February 21, 2011

At home, Saint George needed to overcome a one goal deficit if they were to manage an upset for the ages of fearsome Egyptian side Al-Ahly. With over ten thousand screaming fans in attendance, the will was clearly evident for the men in red and gold, but in the end, the superior talent of Al-Ahly proved just too much.

V’s defense withstood a constant wave of attacks, led by Al-Ahly’s front line of Emab Motaeb and Liberian import Francis Doe. Both strikers, however, were wasteful with their shooting, and for a time it looked as if somehow Saint George could just manage a goal on the counter, they may be able to turn the result on its head. Led by the excellent play of defenders Gabriel Junedi and Kennedy Dube, the Ethiopian champions attempted to do just that, but when, at 72 minutes, young Algerian winger Amir Sayoud burst through the defense to power a drive under Adugna Deyas, it was clear that V’s participation in the Red & Arabian Sea States Cup was drawing to a close.

Still, there is little to hang their heads about: in a year marked by struggles, on one of the largest stages his side will see, Tadesse Makonnen coaxed a supreme performance from his side, and consecutive 1-0 defeats to the defending champions are results to build on in future years.

RASS Quarterfinal Leg 2

Saint George 0 v Al-Ahly Sporting Club, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 0 – Al-Ahly 1 (Amir Sayoud 72)

MoM: Sayoud (8.0) V’s Best: Kennedy Dube (7.1)

Attendance: 10,374. Referee: Samson Gawo.

[Makonnen]

More Like It

February 23, 2011

As February winds down, the schedule in East Africa becomes truly brutal. Saint George are currently in the midst of a run of four games in eight days, and March brings more of the same, even including back to back games in separate locations that require separate travelling and home squads for some fixtures.

Such is life in the lesser known corners of the football world where, until teams start to perform on the larger stages, countries are really at the mercy of various international governing bodies.

Today sees V matching up with Harrar Beer for the fourth of six meetings between league play, the Ethio-Italian Friendship Cup, and the All-African Challenge. The familiarity between the two sides results in a first half that can generously be called strategic, but more honestly was just poor football, full of long stretches of pointless possession punctuated by ineffective shooting.

Everything changed coming out of the dressing room as just minutes after the restart, Biru’s young striker, Adissu Tamitu, gathered the ball on a breakaway and simply outran Saint George’s defense before beating Adugna Deyas with a shot into the top of the net.

Tadesse Makonnen responded with a different look, pushing Mohammed Abera up front alongside newly signed Zambian attacker Andrew Sinkala. Ten minutes later the strategy paid dividends when Alula Germa slid a nice pass into Abera’s path inside the box and the brilliant teenager coolly slammed it home.

That was the end of the scoring and while the second half was infinitely more entertaining than the first, the draw was certainly a fair result on the day.

Ethio Premiere

Saint George v Harrar Beer Bottling Football Club, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 1 (Mohammed Abera 71) – Harrar Beer 1 (Adissu Tamitu 48)

MoM: Abera (7.1)

Attendance: 2749. Referee: Asmare Zenebe.

February 24, 2011

The quarterfinals of the Addis City Cup found an in-form Sidama Coffee squad looking to knock the defending champions out of the competition.

They were, in the end, unable to rise to the occasion, and Saint George won comfortably to move two victories away from defending their title. The key player on the day was Andrew Sinkala, pressed into service on consecutive days after coming on as a late substitute in yesterdays’ clash with Harrar Beer.

Just eight minutes in, Sinkala drew a penalty inside the box when he refused to be turned away on an energetic drive towards goal and was tripped by Sidama’s Haile Hussein. Ishmael Ishmael needed help from the crossbar, but the penalty easily beat Renate Alimirah and V had an early lead.

The game stayed 1-0 to Saint George until well into the second half when Saladin Yemenu—who had a fabulous day pulling the strings for Saint George—found defender Yohanis Daniel off a long throw. Daniel caught the ball on a volley and struck it superbly, well past a diving Alimirah. Daniel’s elation was quickly tempered when, only a few minutes later, he was forced out of the match after pulling up short with a groin injury.

Sinkala added his first ever for the club when, with five minutes to go, he was given acres of space inside the area, and deftly slid the ball under Alimirah.

With the congested schedule, the injury to Daniel and to winger Abew Tamitu may prove costly for V, as both players will miss significant time in recovery.

Addis Cup Quarter Final

Sidama Coffee Sporting Club v Saint George, Mebrat Hall Stadium

Sidama Coffee 0 – Saint George 3 (Ishmael Ishmael 8p, Yohanis Daniel 66, Andrew Sinkala 85)

MoM: Sinkala (8.2)

Attendance: 984. Referee: Samson Gawo.

February 26, 2011

With an exhausted side and a two goal lead, Tadesse Makonnen’s goal was to survive today’s game in Windhoek, Namibia. Half an hour in, Mohammed Abera cemented the result with a moment of individual brilliance, spinning around Gaven Mashego to find himself at a nearly impossibly tight angle to goal with African Stars’ keeper, Zweli Dladla, bearing down on him. Abera somehow invented a chip that spun over Dladla and fell inches inside the post.

It was a stunning score, and the three goal lead put Saint George in position to sit on the ball the rest of the game, earning some well deserved rest for much of the first team. Indeed, when Abera came off just after an hour, Makonnen reverted to a team with no true forward, depending on veteran midfielder Mulalem Regassa to take positions up front while often coming deep to help maintain possession.

The strategy worked, and V will now have to wait a few days to discover their next opponent in the African Champions’ League.

Champions League Preliminary Round Leg 2

African Stars of Namibia v Saint George, Khomasdal Stadium

African Stars 0 – St. George 1 (Mohammed Abera 29) [st. George win 3-0 on aggregate]

MoM: Abera (8.3)

Attendance: 1637. Referee: Johannes Solomons.

[Makonnen]

African Challenge Surprises

February 28, 2011

While the teams know each other quite well from numerous recent meetings, a combination of injuries, a crowded schedule, and the continued bureaucratic difficulties seen by Ethiopian clubs in registering their players mean today’s African Challenge Group G match between Harrar Beer and Saint George will feature a mix of established names and unknown players for both sides.

Fans of Saint George—and indeed fans of Ethiopian soccer in general—are well used to seeing Abera on the back of the red and gold uniform, but today it was number 51, Efrem Abera, on display. The seventeen year old youth star for Saint George is not a known relative of Mohammed Abera, who was held out of today’s game.

Efrem opened the scoring four minutes in, outjumping Harrar goalkeeper Bekaylu Shasute at the near post and topping the ball in with a snap of his neck. With the score, it looked like the Bira faithful would be treated to a wide open game.

However, as the first half wore on, Saint George’s misses were even more impressive than the opening goal as Abera, Ishmael Ishmael, and Dossegnaw Jemberu all somehow managed to miss the goal from under ten yards out. Abera also had a lovely forty yard free kick carom off the side post, reinforcing the fact that Harrar were lucky to enter halftime down only the single goal.

The second half continued the decline in the quality of soccer, with both sides missing several good chances and, in the end, the narrow victory was deserved, even if the overall quality of play left something to be desired.

African Challenge Group G

Harrar Beer Bottling Football Club v Saint George, Harar Bira Stadium

Harrar Beer 0 – St. George 1 (Efrem Abera 5)

MoM: Eshetu Mohammed (7.5)

Attendance: 622. Referee: Umeta Ibrahim.

March 2, 2011

Today’s African Challenge match sees Saint George visiting FAR Rabat. The Ethiopian champions remain a long shot to qualify from their group, but a strong showing here could change that as FAR Rabat—along with Club Africain and Raja Casablanca—are the favorites in the group.

Three minutes in, a patient build up from the back leads to Mohammed Abera with his back to goal thirty yards away. He dipped his shoulder and used a quick turn to slide between Mohamed Madihi and Jean-Baptiste Sanogo before sending a quick shot hard and low that somehow snuck between a diving Lamá and the near post. It was a magical move, certain to bring grins of anticipation to any watchers who happened to be fans of Hoffenheim, who will be enjoying the talents of the young Ethiopian star in a few months time.

As ever for Saint George, Adugna Deyas was magnificent in goal, tipping away a breakaway by Alausa Kabiro at the last moment and calmly shepherding his defense through long stretches of attack from their Moroccan hosts. The Nigerian Kabiro was dangerous throughout the first half, hanging on the shoulder of Saint George’s defenders while looking for the opportunity to make probing runs towards goal.

Five minutes from halftime, Abera almost did it again when Lencho Skibba released him down the right hand channel with a marvelous pass, however his tightly angled shot hit the post and bounced back into play, where Rabat’s defense was able to clear the danger.

Many observers pointed to a comeback by FAR Rabat in the second half, as both Fitsum Kebede and Mulalem Regassa were withdrawn at the interval, replaced by virtual unknowns Mesuud Musa and Mesfin Ibrahim, brought into Tadesse Makonnen’s squad only to comply with national regulations. However, it was the hosts who cracked instead, when a long cross from Ibrahim was sent smartly into his own net by Congolese national team veteran Lofo Bongeli. It was an inexcusable mistake, as Bongeli was under no pressure with no men in red and gold anywhere near the area.

The own goal seemed to light a fire in the hosts and the story of the rest of the game was their relentless pressure: barely a minute passed without a shot being launched towards Deyas, but most sailed well past the goal and the ones that were on target either found the woodwork or were palmed away by the Ethiopian goalkeeper.

Makonnen went with a five man back line to close the game but as the clock ticked by it seemed that not only were the visitors likely to take the points today, they were going to do so while maintaining the most improbable of clean sheets. To do so, they had to withstand several more corners, a free kick from just outside the box, and finally a final shot from FAR Rabat’s diminutive captain, Issam Erraki, that slid wide by no more than a hand’s width.

The victory must be considered an upset, and it turns Group G into a wide open affair at the outset of play.

African Challenge Group G

Forces Armées Royales v Saint George, Stade du Prince Moulay Abdallah

FAR Rabat 0 – St. George 2 (Mohammed Abera 4, Lofo Bongeli 48og)

MoM: Abera (7.8)

Attendance: 8021. Referee: Seyoum Haile Mariam.

March 5, 2011

Fifteen minutes in, the future reared its head for Saint George when Alula Germa chipped a neat ball into the box that Dossegnaw Jemberu controlled with a single touch before sending it back across the goal and just inside the far post. It was a well deserved goal, as V had dominated the early going, and the two teenagers are clearly part of Tadesse Makonnen’s plans for the future in Addis Ababa.

They still are looking, however, to regain their dominance in the present and Bahir Dar crawled back into the match when a delightful, curving cross from Worku Tizazu was met at the far post by a leaping Teodoros Bajope for the tying score. For the lineup today, Tadesse Makonnen opted to go with experience at the back, a defensive alignment that made it unclear where a second goal could be found but, perhaps, raising some confidence that the worse they were looking at was a single point.

Both teams had a few chances in the second half, but the affair ended all square, which both sides would have to admit was a fair result.

Ethio Premiere

Bahir Dar University v Saint George, Bahir Dar Stadium

Bahir Dar 1 (Teodoros Bajope 31) – St. George 1 (Dossegnaw Jemberu 15)

MoM: Bajope (7.8) V’s Best: Bayeh Kahsay (7.3)

Attendance: 601. Referee: Yohannes Kayira.

[Makonnen]

The End of An Era

March 7, 2011

Today’s match in Group G of the African Challenge pits Saint George against Moroccan side FAR Rabat. While the hosts had more of the ball in the first half, FAR Rabat easily looked more likely to score, and only a series of fantastic saves by Adugna Deyas kept the game scoreless. The best of these was on a breakaway by Henry Hernández, where the young Salvadoran striker looked certain to score.

Just seconds from the end of the first half, tragedy struck for V, when Mohammed Abera was forced off after a hard collision with Hamid Nater. Abera was left grasping at his chest and waving to the sidelines immediately after the two jumped awkwardly at a high pass from midfield. Abera’s absence poses an immediate challenge for the hosts: there are few players in red and gold likely to provide a significant moment of individual brilliance in a game like this.

Indeed, the surprise of the match after Abera’s departure was the success of the Saint George defense in keeping the Moroccans out of the net throughout the second half. The point may be less than deserved, but it reflects well on the effort of Saint George, especially the back line of Mesfin Duguma, Peter Moyo, Eshetu Mohammed, and Samson Mulugeta.

The news on Abera after the game was not good: not only did he suffer two fractured ribs, but the estimated recovery time is such that today’s first half may end up being his final appearance in the red and gold.

African Challenge Group G

Saint George v. Forces Armées Royales, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 0 – FAR Rabat 0

MoM: Jean-Baptiste Sanogo (7.4) V’s Best: Peter Moyo (7.3)

Attendance: 3317. Referee: Samson Gawo.

March 8, 2011

A dubious offside call and an inspired performance from their defense kept the game scoreless in the early going and later, as the momentum continued to swing in favor of the home side, it was left to the solid wall known as Adugna Deyas to take over with save after save to repel Raja Casablanca’s attacks. Still, despite the heroic efforts defensively, it seemed only a moment of time before the hosts found the back of the net.

When it came, the goal was both well deserved and patently unfair: Deyas was well up to several swerving drives from distance from Brian Umony and he managed to deny Emmanuel Omodiagbe several times at close range but, with under five minutes to go, he was a fraction slow to react to a high deflection back into the box and veteran Moroccan striker Tarik Tnibar rose above V’s keeper to nod the ball lightly towards—and over—the goal line.

Still, nobody would argue that V deserved even a point from the match: they were simply overpowered on the day, and the tie would have been a harsh result for Raja Casablanca.

African Challenge Group G

Raja Club Athletic v Saint George, Stade Mohamed V

Raja Casablanca 1 (Tarik Tnibar 86) – St. George 0

MoM: Adugna Deyas (9.1)

Attendance: 20,770. Referee: Virgalem Wigidrgis.

March 9, 2011

Three games in three days leads to changes: with Bereket Addisu, Mohammed Abera, and Atakilti Mengesha sidelined with injuries, and with Fitsum Kebede and Lencho Skibba determined not fit after the run of recent games, Tadesse Makonnen turned to a front line of Dossegnaw Jemberu, Zerihun Boda, and Alula Germa. None over eighteen—with Boda a mere sixteen years of age—but all of whom have had moments of brilliance being pressed into action this season.

In one sense—especially for Boda and Germa—today’s game was the beginning of a three month audition to replace Abera after his departure for Germany.

Today’s opponent, Meta Abo Brewery, sit at the bottom of the table, having won only two of their 23 games on the year. This has been attributed most often to their unorthodox style, with only three true defenders sitting behind a four man midfield, they have been susceptible all season to attacks from width, something V will be looking to Bayeh Kahsay and Saladin Yemenu to provide.

Less than a minute into the game, things began to unravel for Meta Abo when Dawit Addisu clumsily brings down Jemberu inside the box. Seyoum Haile Mariam had no choice but to blow the whistle, and Mesfin Kedane converted for the early lead.

While Saint George dominated play, they were unable to add to the scoreline until, with five minutes remaining in the half, Boda lined up a free kick from just outside the box. He sent a curling effort towards the far post that spun off the woodwork and into the path of an onrushing Germa. The young playmaker caught the ball squarely, sending it neatly into the back of the net for a two goal lead.

Meta Abo poured on the pressure to open the second half but were unable to find a lifeline, and Saint George put the game out of reach when, just after an hour, Yemenu scored his first goal for the senior club with a curving shot into the far corner of the goal from just inside the box.

The win—combined with Banks SC’s 0-0 draw with Ethiopian Coffee—cemented Saint George’s spot atop the league, extending the gap between them and Banks to four points.

Ethio Premiere

Saint George v Meta Abo Brewery Sports Club, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 3 (Mesfin Kedane 2p, Alula Germa 40, Saladin Yemenu 65) – Meta Abo 0

MoM: Yemenu (8.0)

Attendance: 3488. Referee: Seyoum Haile Mariam.

[Makonnen]

Competitiveness is to be Admired.

March 12, 2011

When Brett Evans found Zeka Gooré with a lovely cross in the thirteenth minute of play, Club Africain looked poised to deal a heavy defeat to their Ethiopian visitors. But V found their footing and in the end only a dubious offsides call against Lencho Skibba keep them from tying the contest just over an hour in.

The victory was deserved, but with the second leg at their home stadium, Tadesse Makonnen’s side has to harbor hopes of overcoming the single goal deficit to proceed out of the first round of the African Champions League, something that would shock the pundits who predicted easy progress for the Tunisian side.

Champions League First Round Leg 1

Club Africain Tunis v Saint George, Stade Olympique d’El Menzah

Club Africain 1 (Zeka Gooré 13) – St. George 0

MoM: Brett Evans (8.8) V’s Best: Peter Moyo (7.2)

Attendance: 30,596. Referee: Johannes Solomons.

March 14, 2011

There is a growing rivalry between Ocean Boys and Saint George, and today’s Group G match in the African Challenge allows the two teams to renew their pleasantries. From the beginning, it has been the Ethiopian side threatening to unseat the Nigerians to announce their presence on the continental stage and today’s game in Yenagoa Township in Southwest Nigeria is no different.

Ogbonna Onuoha gives the home side the lead just two minutes in with a ferocious shot from distance. However, Ocean Boys’ back line looked vulnerable from the outset, especially to Fitsum Kebede’s daring runs, and if V are able to withstand a steady stream of shots from outside the box, it looks like they would be able to find a way back into the match.

With the Nigerian side content to send shot after shot at Adugna Deyas from distance, Saint George finally break through four minutes before the half, when a nifty catch and pass from Efrem Abera frees Andrew Sinkala on a break and the Zambian teenager unleashes a hard shot that beats former Saint George goalkeeper Ivo Mapunda to his near post.

The second half sees both teams with good chances to pull ahead: Ocean Boys’ Abiodun Okoli’s diving header is turned away by a great effort from Deyas while Saint George’s Mesuud Mussa flashes free in the box for a moment before being smothered by a wave of defenders.

Fifteen minutes from time, Kebede sends a long pass into the box, where Abera was able to turn smoothly with an open shot. Mapundo, proving why Saint George moved him on, was slow to react, and the young striker put the Ethiopian visitors on top. With the red and gold playing an increasingly defensive game, it looked like a group victory was in their grasp.

However, victory would prove elusive: with only seconds left in stoppage time, Ocean Boys substitute Badmus Collins picked out Aniekan Davies with a lovely pass setting him free just outside the six yard box, and he side-footed the ball neatly past Deyas for what must be considered a well-deserved draw.

Even gutted at the nature of the loss, the visiting side had to admit that a draw on the day was the fair result.

African Challenge Group G

Ocean Boys FC v Saint George, Yenagoa Township Stadium

Ocean Boys 2 (Ogbonna Onuoha 2, Aniekan Davies 90+3) – St. George 2 (Andrew Sinkala 42, Efrem Abera 77)

MoM: Kennedy Dube (7.5)

Attendance: 162. Referee: Virgalem Wigidrgis.

March 16, 2011

Raja Casablanca will be the more frustrated of teams after today’s match: the visitors dominated the play, but were unable to break through against a gutsy Saint George team who consistently weathered strong pressure on their back line. The best news for the Ethiopian hosts was the return of Bereket Addisu from his long injury layoff: Addisu looked lively during his thirty minutes on the pitch, creating the only moments of danger from the red and gold.

The tie cemented the storyline for the All-African Challenge for Saint George: while they were expected to be merely a footnote, they have proven they are quite competitive with the other teams in their group. Competitiveness is to be admired, but it does not provide victories, leaving them mid-table with nine points from seven games. Club Africain looks safe to qualify, and while Saint George has an outside shot, they would need to climb over both Raja Casablanca and FAR Rabat to do so.

African Challenge Group G

Saint George v Raja Club Athletic, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 0 – Raja Casablanca 0

MoM: Samuel Degefe (7.5)

Attendance: 3987. Referee: Atalay Dereje.

[Makonnen]

The Tunis Challenge.

March 23, 2011

It’s the same story for Saint George: a gutsy defense, a stalwart keeper, and moments of opportunity on offense lead to a game much closer than predicted. Indeed, the best chance of the early match fell to Atakilti Mengesha, who caught the post after being set free inside the post.

Eleven minutes in, Club Africain defender Shady Mohamed is called for his second yellow: both were clear fouls and there could be little complaint when Makonnen Gudina waved Mohamed off the pitch. It put the home team in a hard position for the rest of the match, and forced them to replace the ever dangerous Zeka Gooré with defender Anis Amri.

On fifteen minutes, the home team explodes on a breakaway when Hichem Essifi’s first touch sends the ball over Samson Mulugeta’s head. Essifi is away, and Adugna Deyas cannot get down in time to stop the shot. The goal stuns the visitors, and leads to another mistake at the back, when Zouheir Dhaouadi is left free in the box to meet a clever cross from Mohamed Traoré for a 2-0 lead for the shorthanded Tunisian hosts.

Just three minutes later, Wissem Ben Yahia sends in a rocket from 30 yards that Deyas can only deflect off the frame of the goal and into the net. Three shorthanded goals in five minutes, and the visitors are visibly stunned.

The red card may have been a bad thing for Saint George—not only did it seem to throw them off their tactical game plan, but at least two fouls in the box against them went uncalled in what can only be interpreted as an attempt by the referee to compensate for having left one side a player down for so long.

V pulled one back just shy of an hour when Mesuud Mussa slid inside the box and powered one past Omorou Nassirou, but they never really looked a threat to climb back into the match.

A loss to Club Africain is one thing: a lopsided loss with a man advantage shows just how far Ethiopian soccer has to go. The game closes out the important matches in the Group, with Club Africain and Raja Casablanca securing their progress out of the early stage of the competition.

African Challenge Group G

Club Africain Tunis v Saint George, Stade Olypique d’El Menzah

Club Africain 3 (Hichem Essifi 16, Zouheir Dhaouadi 18, Wissem ben Yahia 21) – St. George 1 (Mesuud Mussa 58)

MoM: Dhaouadi (8.9) V’s Best: Mussa (7.4)

Attendance: 20,803. Referee: Makonnen Gudina.

March 24, 2011

Saint George’s first goal may be attributed to Assani Bajope, but the source was really a searching cross from teenage defender Asrat Mohammed that found Bajope unmarked at the far post: the header itself was well placed, sailing over Harrar’s Bakaylu Shasute’s outstretched hand and nestling into the far side of the goal.

Five minutes later, Bajope was again at the center of play, drawing a penalty with a nifty move that left Harrar captain Tafess Ayenew grasping at air, and his shirt. Fitsum Kebede buried the shot, and the rout looked to be on.

Bajope added another on a shot from distance, giving V the 3-0 lead at the break.

Harrar pulled one back through Abebe Ayele, but Saint George never looked like losing and were unlucky not to get a fourth when Eshetu Mohammed rattled the ball off two sides of woodwork with a drive from inside the box.

African Challenge Group G

Saint George v Harrar Beer Bottling Football Club, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 3 (Assani Bajope 13 24, Fitsum Kebede 21p) – Harrar Beer 1 (Abebe Ayele 49)

MoM: Bajope (8.8)

Attendance: 2354. Referee: Mulugeta Dubarish.

March 26, 2011

Once again, Saint George will face Tunisian side Club Africain, this time in the All-African Challenge with the Ethiopian side needing to overcome a single goal deficit to upset the visitors and secure progression into the next round.

On a rainy evening, both sides fought hard, but Saint George lacked the creativity to break through, and Club Africain was quite content to wage a defensive battle, as the scoreless draw assured them of proceeding.

With the scoreless tie, Saint George’s continental schedule ends, allowing them to return their focus to defending their domestic league and to their performance in the Addis City Cup.

Champions League First Round, Leg 2

Saint George v Club Africain Tunis, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 0 – Club Africain 0 [Club Africain wins 1-0 on aggregate.]

MoM: Souheir Dhaouadi (7.3) V’s Best: Adugna Deyas (6.9)

Attendance: 6963. Referee: Ian McLeod.

[Makonnen]

Four from Saint George

March 28, 2011

It is a wet and dismal afternoon in Addis Ababa, with Saint George hosting emerging rival Ocean Boys in a game where only pride is at stake: neither team will progress from the group stage of the All-African Challenge. As such, Tadesse Makonnen has opted for a decidedly weaker team, looking ahead to his semifinal matchup with Cuneo in the Ethio-Italian Friendship Cup.

Ocean Boys return with their starting eleven and, as such, are in control for much of the match. They open up the scoring thirteen minutes in off a set play when George Chinwuba rises to meet a well-placed corner and power it by Adugna Deyas.

Saint George’s best chance to level the game comes just seven minutes later, when winger Mesuud Mussa misses a volley from practically on the goal line: you would be hard pressed to find an easier opportunity wasted all year. Mussa’s day worsened after halftime, when he ran over Abdullahi Adeyinka in the box for a penalty, which Kennedy Oliseh neatly converted to give the Nigerian side their final margin of victory.

African Challenge Group G

Saint George v Ocean Boys FC, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 0 – Ocean Boys 2 (George Chinwuba 14, Kennedy Oliseh 64p)

MoM: Chinwuba (8.0) V’s Best: Mulalem Regassa (6.9)

Attendance: 2766. Referee: Samson Gawo.

March 30, 2011

When Cuneo’s Marco Magnaldi tapped Ishmael Ishmael’s short shot back into his own net just seven minutes into the game, it seemed to bode well for the Ethiopian hosts. However, a combination of being unable to convert from numerous set pieces and a general lack of intensity in their play left the game 1-0 far into the second half.

Still, V’s defense looked solid, and the visiting Italians looked unlikely to break through, unless their Brazilian veteran, Júnior Bahia, was able to free himself in the box. That looked unlikely, as the combination of Peter Moyo and Samson Mulugeta in the middle were following Bahia wherever he went, effectively taking Cuneo’s most potent threat off his game.

The game had progressed into stoppage time when Makonnen Mamo volleyed a ball into Andrew Sinkala’s path inside the box where the young attacker was able to control the ball with a deft touch and rocket it off the side of the post and in for Saint George’s second goal of the game.

The goal sealed the game, and moved Saint George into the final of the Ethio-Italian Friendship Cup for the second consecutive year, this time against Siracusa.

Ethio-Italian Friendship Cup Semifinal

Saint George v Cuneo, Mebrat Hail Stadium

St. George 2 (Marco Magnaldi 7og, Andrew Sinkala 90+1) – Cuneo 0

MoM: Eshetu Mohammed (7.5)

Attendance: 5824. Referee: Virgalem Wigidrgis.

April 2, 2011

Ethiopian Coffee was expected to be a leading contender in the race for second place in the Ethiopian Premiere League; instead, Buna found themselves fighting upstart Bahir Dar for the final playoff spot while Awassa and Banks SC were making genuine challenges for the championship against Saint George.

Here, with both teams exhausted from the early season schedule, the crowd was treated to an even game, with Saint George dominating possession but Coffee looking dangerous on the break. By the end, Buna looked the more likely to break through, but neither side could, and a scoreless draw was the result.

Ethio Premiere

Ethiopian Coffee Sports Club v Saint George, Addis Ababa Stadium

Ethiopian Coffee 0 – St. George 0

MoM: Samuel Degefe (7.8)

Attendance: 4907. Referee: Yohannes Kayira.

April 6, 2011

This semifinal of the Addis Ababa City Cup saw defending champions Saint George facing a mid table team from the Ethiopian National League in Insurance, a match up that should easily allow V to advance to defend its trophy.

Things certainly began according to expectations when, just seven minutes in, Ishmael Ishmael floated in a cross from the left to where Umar Kidan had slipped behind the Insurance defense, allowing the midfielder to put Saint George into the lead with a deft header. With something close to a first choice team taking the field for Tadesse Makonnen, Saint George was heavily favored in the matchup and their first half performance—if not the scoreline—certainly reflected that.

Four times, the ball bounced free in the box, caroming off Insurance goalkeeper Tewfik Ilon and his defenders, but four times the attacking players in red and gold were unable to find the net. And, when they finally did on a Peter Moyo tap in, the big Zimbabwean defender was called offsides—and rightly so.

At the hour mark, things had approached the ridiculous: Saint George had, by our count, sixteen attempts at goal while denying Insurance a single shot at Adugna Deyas’ net, yet the score remained 1-0.

That was when sixteen year old Mulugeta Getachew lined up a free kick from twenty-five yards out and, despite not being able to see over the imposing Saint George wall, hammered a shot that curved into the upper far corner past a leaping Deyas. Against the run of play would be a kind statement: this was a miracle strike, but we were indeed level at one apiece.

Saint George had one final chance to win in regulation, but Atakilti Mengesha’s header from eight yards out sailed over the bar. We were, improbably, going to extra time and, perhaps, to the cruel lottery of penalty kicks.

Finally, in the ninety-fifth minute, Ochan Bayalegne slipped the ball to Mengesha in the box, and his shot easily beat Ilon. Replays showed Mengesha to be a step offside on the play, and while the call was unjust, the lead falling in V’s favor was certainly not.

While Makonnen will certainly be pleased to reach the finals of the competition, and while there were many positives to his team’s performance on the day, the continued inability of this Saint George side to find the final touch, the final pass, the final shot that would seal a victory earlier and more easily remains quite a concern.

Addis Cup Semifinal

Ethiopian Insurance v Saint George, Insurance Stadium

Insurance 1 (Mulugeta Getachew 61) – St. George 2 (Umar Kidan 8, Atakilti Mengesha 96)

MoM: Ishmael Ishmael (8.0)

Attendance: 650. Referee: Asmare Zenebe.

[Makonnen]

Liveblog: Addis City Cup Final. April 14, 2011.

Welcome to our Liveblog of the Addis City Cup Final from Addis Ababa Stadium! It’s a gorgeous spring day here in the capital, hot and dry, with highs expected to reach the lower 80’s for those of you still measuring temperature in Fahrenheit.

Saint George look to defend their title from last year while this is Ethiopian Coffee’s first time reaching the final game of this prestigious championship held each year between the twelve teams situated in or near the capital city. Saint George was expected to make it this far while Buna staged what must be seen as severe upset with their quarterfinal victory over last year’s runners-up Banks SC.

With their continental schedule done for 2011, Saint George look to a near full strength side, with Ishmael Ishmael attempting to fill the massive shoes of injured Mohammed Abera and Eshetu Mohammed taking the place of Kennedy Dube at left back as Dube recovers from a nagging ankle injury.

Buna is led by Andualem Negussie, who moved from Saint George on a free transfer last year. Negussie has scored eight goals for them in the league, and is the focal point of their attack. He is also looking to prove that he never should have been let adrift from the champions’ squad.

Over eleven thousand supporters have packed the stands, nearly evenly split between the red and orange of Saint George and the dark maroon of Ethiopian Coffee. Referee Atalay Dereje is ready to blow his whistle to get us underway!

5:22. The first real chance of the game falls to V when Bereket Addisu sends a long cross flat across the goal line that Fitsum Kebede misses by a few feet.

11:53. Kebede goes wide with the first true shot of the match.

14:20. Ishmael Ishmael is down on the sideline, having been raked across the back of the leg by Umar Kinde. The foul went unnoticed, but Ishmael is limping noticeably when he returns to the pitch.

15:50. Again it’s Addisu and Kebede at the start of a Saint George move, but an errant pass sends Buna captain Efrem Bahru back the other way. His long pass is gathered by Haile Demeke, but V’s stalwart defender, Peter Moyo, closes quickly to stop the threat.

18:26. Ishmael must not be injured too badly: when Bereded Gawo sends a long ball from the right wing, he meets it from eight yards out with the side of his foot, neatly sending it past Alemnew Tadem’s near post. It’s a well-taken goal, and V are out in front! Saint George 1 – Ethiopian Coffee 0.

25:15. Bereket Addisu, who is scoreless in over five hours of soccer, misses badly on a shot from the edge of the box. Tadesse Makonnen needs to get his first choice forward back on track, and soon.

31:00. Gawo sends in a corner that is met cleanly by Moyo, but it sails over the goal.

32:44. Addisu may have lost his scorer’s touch, but there is nothing wrong with his vision: Kebede laid the ball off to him outside the box. He spun in wards, drawing both Fituum Teferri and Buna’s star midfielder Alemu Beshinto to him and freeing Lencho Skibba for a lovely slip ball by the penalty spot. Skibba took a touch to put Tadem in motion, then neatly slid it back the other way for the two goal lead! Saint George 2 – Ethiopian Coffee 0.

33:18. As the celebrations of the goal die down, the party has begun in full force for the fans of the red and gold. Surely, V are on their way to the repeat now.

34:43. An immediate answer from Coffee! Andualem Negussie played the ball to Umar Kinde on the wing, who neatly skipped past Eshetu Mohammed to find space for the return to Negussie who launched himself at the ball for a viciously struck header. Adugna Deyas was expecting a shot from his feet and was a fraction slow, letting the ball bounce off the near post and into the back of the net. Ethiopian Coffee 1 – Saint George 2.

36:40. And the Saint George defense is in shambles! Merare Anbesse found space on the break, but looked well covered with five red and gold shirts back and between him and Deyas. Anbesse sent the ball back to Gabriel Feleke who sent a one touch pass to Beshintu, whose run was exquisitely timed. The only question was if the ball would reach Beshintu before Deyas was able to rush off his line: it did, and he slid it under V’s keeper to set the game back on level terms. Ethiopian Coffee 2 – Saint George 2.

42:15. A good spell of possession calms Saint George, although it never results in a clear shot on goal.

45:16. Beshinto enters the referee’s book for a needless foul on Ishmael out wide.

Once V went up two, most of those in attendance would have agreed that a rout was underway: however Tilahun Mengesha’s side showed great resilience in fighting back. Saint George have had most of the ball, and have outshot Buna 6 – 2. However, both of Coffee’s shots have resulted in goals, and we start the final forty-five minutes with it all to play for.

The only change at halftime is for Buna, with Degu Debebe coming in for Fituum Teferi at right back.

51:25. Assani Bajope finds Addisu inside the box, but his shot is parried away by Tadem.

52:49. Gabriel Feleke’s shot is easily gathered by Deyas, proving that not every shot by Buna will go in.

59:58. Again Addisu has a shot on target, but again Tadem saves, this time a diving stop that leads to a corner for the defending champions.

61:05. Ishmael will be the first substitution for Saint George, as Andrew Sinkala comes in for him on the left wing.

67:58. Liban Elmi is booked for an elbow to the head of Feleke while the two contested a high ball, the first player to go into Dereje’s book tonight.

72:38. Buna brings on Addis Negash for Feleke. Sinkala and Addisu have been combining well on the left side, but so far it has not resulted in a clear scoring chance for V.

81:16. Beshinto is lucky to still be on the field after sliding in on Skibba with his boots up. He escapes with only a warning from Dereje to the incredulity of the Saint George faithful and the applause of those clad in maroon.

81:26. Mengesha makes his final substitution, Menyahel Teshome on for Umar Kinde. For Saint George, we have a surprise, with young Meseret Desta lining up to come on. It can’t be for Sinkala, so Desta may be coming on for Bereded Gawo on the right wing.

82:39. Negussie gets a deserved yellow card for barging through the back of Bajope.

82:45. No, Desta is on for Kebede, who is exhausted. Sinkala slides up front with Skibba, while Desta takes on the role on the outside on the left.

84:22. Skibba picks up a yellow for a foul on Teshome. It’s deserved, but that’s two in two minutes.

88:05. Desta may be young, but he’s played with composure and strength since his entrance. He sends a cross into the box that is met by a sea of red and gold, but Gawo sends it over the bar.

92:02. Again, Gawo cannot direct a header on target—this one was a harder attempt, but he’ll be cursing himself for missing that.

And there’s the whistle. We’ll have thirty minutes of added time after a scoreless second half. Saint George have been the stronger team, but Buna seems well up for the challenge, and we may be looking at penalty kicks to decide this one.

91:12. Addisu is denied again, this time by the crossbar after snaking his way through four defenders for an open shot from five yards out.

94:03. A lovely cross from Haile Demeke looks destined for goal, but Eshetu Mohammed clears it off the line with a powerful header.

94:23. The ball falls to Negussie in the resulting play, and Moyo and Samson Mulugeta let him waltz into the box unchecked. His shot sails over goal, but that was a comedy of errors on both sides.

96:50. Skibba makes a mazy run through the box before leaving the ball for Desta, whose cross is met cleanly by Sinkala, but his header is high and over the bar.

100:20. Desta continues to be a revelation, earning a corner for Saint George through pure hustle and determination on the left.

104:42. And there it is! The miracle shot! Merare Anbesse takes a long free kick from the right flank, and Menyahel Teshome meets it at the far post with a firm header, Eshetu Mohammed having misjudged the flight of the ball. Deyas is beaten, and Buna have the lead! Coffee have the lead! That’s Teshome’s first goal of the season, and what timing for it! A goal that will live in Buna lore forever! Ethiopian Coffee 3 – Saint George 2.

Saint George is stunned, but there are still fifteen minutes to play. Atakilti Mengesha comes on for Addisu in a final substitution for Makonnen’s men.

110:30. Mengesha has missed on two headers since his entry. Saint George is still finding space on the left through Desta and Sinkala, but are unable to unlock the final gate.

119:52. Mengesha may have the final chance for Saint George as his header looks destined for glory, but Tadem somehow scrambles back to cover it.

And there’s the final whistle! Saint George is in disbelief, and Buna’s fans are in ecstasy. They were outplayed, but the scoreline is all that matters, and with a goal from the most unlikely of sources, Menyahel Teshome, Ethiopian Coffee are the champions of the Addis Ababa City Cup for 2011!

Addis Cup Final

Saint George v Ethiopian Coffee Sports Club, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 2 (Ishmael Ishmael 19, Lencho Skibba 33) – Ethiopian Coffee 3 (Andualem Negussie 35, Alemu Beshinto 37, Menyahel Teshome 104)

MoM: Beshinto (8.4) V’s Best: Skibba (7.7)

Attendance: 11,468. Referee: Atalay Dereje.

Lencho Skibba was named the best player of the Addis Cup, with Ishmael Ishmael ending as the competition’s leading scorer. Adugna Deyas joined those two on the Addis Ababa City Cup Dream Team, along with three players from Ethiopian Coffee (defender Amha Degefe, midfielder Alemu Beshinto, and striker Haile Demeke).

[Makonnen]

April 20, 2011

Today’s game saw the leading team in the league, defending champion Saint George, hosting second place Awassa. A win today would see V move seven points clear, and remove much suspense from the end of the season—anything less, and Saint George’s success this season will remain in doubt.

Saint George pours forward to begin the game, and Fitsum Kebede, Ishmael Ishmael, and Bereded Gawo all have shots that either slide just off the frame or require diving saves from Awassa’s veteran goalkeeper, Wubeshet Desaleghn. Kebede is finding far too much space from distance, but so far all he has done is rattle the woodwork on three occasions.

Just after half an hour, well against the run of play, Awassa takes the lead when Gabriel Junedi hacks down Awassa’s Yared Tizazu in the box for a clear penalty. Teyib Woldemarian dispatches it cleanly, sending Adugna Deyas the wrong way. The goal energizes the visitors, especially along the back line where Ahmed Aman, Andualem Nega, and Fitzum Tsegazab were quite impressive in handling V’s pressure.

The success continued through the second half, and when Mulugeta Dubarish blew his whistle for full time, we had the makings of a thrilling finish to the season, with Awassa only a single point behind Saint George and Banks SC closing behind furiously.

Even though in the end it was Desaleghn who picked up the man of the match award, Aman may have forced himself into the conversation when V’s coach Tadesse Makonnen picks his Under-19 Team next month.

Ethio Premiere

Saint George v Awassa City, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 0 – Awassa 1 (Teyib Woldemarian 34p)

MoM: Wubeshet Desaleghn (7.3) V’s Best: Bereded Gawo (7.0)

Attendance: 3166. Referee: Mulugeta Dubarish.

April 30, 2011

The Immigrants’ Cup, First Qualifying Round

Cienfuegos v Saint George, 5 de Septiembre

Cienfuegos 0 – St. George 1 (Fitsum Kebede 55)

MoM: Liban Elmi (7.4)

Attendance: 629. Referee: Miriam Stamos.

May 7, 2011

After over 1,000 minutes, Saint George’s lead striker, Bereket Addisu, finally found the back of the net just under ten minutes into their match against Shashemene City. While the relief was clear on the young striker’s face, he was clearly not out of the woods yet, as through half an hour—in addition to the goal—Addisu had hit two posts and missed an absolute sitter.

When Shashemane’s Mulalem Ahmed was sent off for a nasty, two-footed tackle against Lencho Skibba just after half an hour in, the rout was on: goals by Samuel Degefe, Ishmael Ishmael, and Lencho Skibba completed the scoring.

Ethio Premiere League

Shashemene Kenema v Saint George, Shashemane Stadium

Shashemene 0 – St. George 4 (Bereket Addisu 9, Samuel Degefe 20, Ishmael Ishmael 35, Lencho Skibba 41p)

MoM: Degefe (9.1)

Attendance: 992. Referee: Yohannes Kayira.

[Makonnen]

2011 Ethio-Italian Friendship Cup Final (Saint George v Siracusa). May 25, 2011.

Today, Siracusa visits Addis Ababa for the final of the Ethio-Italian Friendship Cup. For Saint George, it is their second trip to the championship game, having lost last year to Venezia.

Siracusa has progressed in the tournament behind the goal scoring prowess of Stefano Pagani and Lorenzo Dal Rio, along with the overall play of Nunzio Pasqualicchio and Marco De Angelis. Today, however, injuries have struck the Italians and of those four, only De Angelis will start, with Dal Rio available as a substitute.

The game is a surprisingly defensive match, scoreless through the first hour with only the Ethiopian representatives able to get a shot on target. Both defenses performed quite well to that point, turning away chances and more importantly, moving back well to prevent breakaways from taking shape, or on the rare occasions De Angelis or V’s Bereket Addisu found space, forcing the attacking players out wide until reinforcements could arrive.

The best chance of the match came with five minutes remaining, when Fitsum Kebede looked to be stopped by Siracusa’s Valerio Capocchiano and captain Giovanni Iodice, but used a magnificent spin to split the two defenders and free himself in the box. His shot looked destined for the net just inside the far post, but a diving stop from Luca Siringo turned the ball out of bounds.

And with that, we moved to extra time.

Eight minutes from the end of the additional period, a back heel from Addisu seemed to free Lencho Skibba, but Siringo again made the save. The final minutes of extra time saw the Ethiopian side controlling the match, but the final whistle blew before they could find the back of the net.

And so, this year’s Ethio-Italian Friendship Cup will be decided by penalty kicks!

First up is Siracusa’s Marco De Angelis, who sends his shot hard and high, beyond Adugna Deyas’ reach. In something of a surprise, Tadesse Makonnen sends out his teenage striker, Atakilti Mengesha, to take the first penalty for Saint George. But he hits the post! Siringo had leapt the wrong way, but the shot was hit too far wide, and Mengesha has sunk to his knees in disbelief. Siracusa has the early lead!

Lorenzo Dal Rio and then Mohammed Abera both convert, as do Giovanni Iodice and Lencho Skibba. But after Deyas saves a shot from Fabio Calabrese, Bereket Addisu slides his shot under Siringo to bring the teams level again.

Up walks Siracusa’s Aldo Perricone. He takes his shot, but Deyas guesses correctly and tips it away! Saint George has a chance to win the Ethio-Italian Friendship Cup! Here comes Fitsum Kebede to take the final kick of the initial series. Kebede starts his runup … but he screws it wide! Heartbreak for the hosts!

We move to sudden death, with Valerio Capocchiano to take the first kick. He scores easily. And now the question is, with all five attacking players having already kicked, who will step up in red and gold? It’s central defender and Ethiopian captain Samson Mulugeta … who also sends his wide!

Siracusa wins the second Ethio-Italian Friendship Cup and, once again, Tadesse Makonnen’s team fall just short of one of their preseason goals: the only prize left for V is now the league championship. Surely, disappointment there would lead to many questioning Makonnen’s continued tenure at the club.

Ethio-Italian Friendship Cup Final

Saint George v Siracusa, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 0 – Siracusa 0 [siracusa win 4-3 on penalties]

MoM: Valerio Capacchiano (7.7) V’s Best: Kennedy Dube (7.6)

Attendance: 15,270. Referee: Samson Gawo.

[Makonnen]

May 28, 2011

Ethio Premiere

Adama City v Saint George, Adama Stadium

Adama City 0 – St. George 1 (Bereded Gawo 45+1)

MoM: Gawo (7.5)

Attendance: 1265. Referee: Umeta Ibrahim.

A Long Shadow. June 11, 2011

Ethio Premiere

Saint George v Sebeta City, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 2 (Kennedy Dube 3, Bereket Addisu 83) – Sebeta City 0

MoM: Addisu (8.3)

Attendance: 7128. Referee: Asmare Zenebe.

The regular season in the Ethiopian Premiere League came to a close with games on either side of international matches across Africa.

Saint George finished the season well, with victories over the clubs from Adama and Sebeta Cities. The other three playoff spots were clinched by Awassa, Banks SC, and Bahir Dar Kenema who squeezed past Ethiopian Coffee on the final day.

Perhaps most importantly, V’s leading scorer, Bereket Addisu, regained his form with a fantastic goal against Sebeta that saw him skin three defenders before rocketing a shot off the underside of the bar and into the back of the net. With promising defender Kennedy Dube adding his first goal for the club in that game and Bereded Gawo providing the difference in the prior match, V look to have their scoring touch back ahead of their playoff matchup with Bahir Dar.

The international matchups provide some glimpses into the future of Ethiopian soccer: while the 1-0 defeat to Uganda by the senior team was a somewhat drab affair, the best players in red, green, and gold were Saint George defenders Samson Mulugeta and Samuel Degefe. The younger teams were in action as well, and the standouts at those levels included Takle Tamitu of Muger Cement, Zecherias Worku of Awassa, and Bahir Dar’s Etehun Turki, as well as V’s own Eshetu Mohammed and, perhaps most intriguing of all, towering teenager Tesfaye Wendimagegne, who at six foot, six inches, casts a long shadow over his domestic competition.

[Makonnen]

Ethiopian Premiere League Playoff Semifinal (Saint George v Bahir Dar). June 21, 2011.

Bahir Dar’s head coach, Girum Ayalew, is one of the success stories in Ethiopian football: having led Bahir Dar to the top of the Ethiopian National League in his first season, the University side made the playoffs in their initial season in the Premiere League and repeated that achievement this year as well.

The team is built around two players, both teenagers: Yaregal Getaneh provides an attacking force from his spot on the left of the back line and midfielder Worku Tizazu is a playmaker with the skills to earn himself national notice. Tizazu, however, will miss this all-important game through injury. If Atakilti Kirbit or Derigi Gebrehanna can step forward in midfield, the goalscoring trio of Solomon Kebede, Teodoros Heshu, and Mitiku Edai should be able to trouble the Saint George Defense.

V can count themselves lucky, as here at the very end of the season they are able to field a fully healthy squad—even Liban Elmi, absent for several weeks with a knee injury, is back today. The pressure, however, is clearly on the defending champions: it has been a less than stellar year for the red and gold, and on this dreary, wet day they will look to redeem themselves with another league championship.

Just under ten minutes in, Bereket Addisu finds Lencho Skibba all alone at edge of box. Skibba takes advantage of his incredibly quick feet and stops the ball, shifts it to the side, and shoots before the defense can converge. The ball never rises more than a foot off the ground, and it easily beats Stefan Franey to the near post.

Skibba’s goal is the highlight of a drab first half: Saint George may be the better team during the first forty-five minutes, but a one goal lead is never safe.

On the hour mark, V’s coach Tadesse Makonnen makes an interesting change by removing stalwart attacker Fitsum Kebede—and his seven league goals on the season—in favor of young Ishmael Ishmael. This means that Mohammed Abera, trying to bring a championship home before his well-publicized move to Germany, will close out the game on the front line instead of his usual position in midfield.

The move seems to play immediate dividends, as Skibba, Abera, and Ishmael all combine on a lovely three pass move that travels the length of the field and leads to a corner, but Saint George are unable to take advantage of the opportunity.

With fifteen minutes left, Bereket Addisu, who seems to have rediscovered his form just in time, takes a pass from Bereded Gawo and powers the ball past Franey. With that goal, Ayalew will have to wait another year to knock Makonnen and Saint George from their position atop Ethiopian football, while the red and gold move on to defend their championship.

In three days time, they will face Banks SC, who used a 79^th minute goal from Getu Teshome to defeat Awassa 1-0 in the other semifinal.

Ethio Premiere Championship Playoff, Semifinal

Saint George v Bahir Dar University, Dessie Stadium

St. George 2 (Lencho Skibba 10, Bereket Addisu 77) – Bahir Dar 0

MoM: Addisu (8.2)

Attendance: 7181. Referee: Tessema Bayisse.

[Makonnen]

V vs. v. June 24, 2011

The championship game in the Ethiopian Premiere League this year is being billed as V vs. v, since Banks SC’s success during the season was largely a result of four players on loan from Saint George, including Solomon Opoku, who led the league in scoring with sixteen goals. In addition to Opoku, defender Wodemagne Mengestu has been a key to Banks’ success all year, and both Said Saladin and Bineyam Assefa have provided sparks, albeit in limited appearances. The difficulty is that all four are prohibited by the terms of their loan arrangements from playing against their parent club. There is less drama here than it may appear however: while Mengestu will be missed, Opoku is out of action for another six months with a torn calf muscle.

Banks will instead turn to towering defender Getu Teshome, who scored the goal against Awassa to propel them to the final, to anchor what will most likely be a defensive side fielded by head coach Akilu Tesfaye. If offensive creativity is to be found, it will almost definitely come through teenage sensation Bayeh Gebrekristos, league leader in assists with 12.

For Saint George, the story of the day is the imminent departure of Mohammed Abera, who will as a seventeen year old be playing his final league game for the red and gold before departing for Hoffenheim in July. Abera has struggled with injuries all year, but when healthy has shown the pace and attacking instincts that have led to his being hailed as the best Ethiopian player of his generation, and perhaps of all time.

Both sides will be fighting fatigue, with only three days since their semifinal games. They will also be fighting the weather: today’s game will be played in a horrendous downpour with gale force winds, which should work in Banks’ favor as they attempt to slow down the powerful offense of Saint George.

Saint George is looking for a repeat of last year’s championship clash, where they defeated Awassa 2-1 behind goals from Ochan Bayalegne and Abera after falling behind early on a marvelous goal from Yared Tizazu. This year, Bayalegne has struggled to find playing time, and is not even on the substitute’s bench for Tadesse Makonnen.

It is a slow start to the match, with both sides struggling to keep their footing, let alone control the ball. Saint George has almost all of the possession, but most of it is in midfield as they try to find a way to exploit space when the elements seem pitched against them.

Twenty minutes in, they have the first chance of the match when a ball is deflected in the box and falls tantalizingly between Mohammed Abera and Banks’ goalkeeper, Tafess Ibrahim. Ibrahim gets there first, however, falling in a splash of mud and clutching the ball.

Uncharacteristically, V are reduced to shots from distance, but Assani Bajope and Fitsum Kebede both miss well wide. From the outset, Tesfaye seems to have instructed his charges to strangle the match and hold out for penalty kicks: the question remains, can they withstand the two storms, one from the sky, one from the red and gold.

Five minutes from halftime, Kebede beats his man with a quick turn, but Ibrahim again makes the save. Kebede has looked dangerous, but his partner in attack and the hero of V’s semifinal victory, Lencho Skibba, is struggling mightily today. If Saint George are to find a goal in the second half, they will need their star attackers to find their form, or hope that Abera can generate a moment of brilliance on his final game.

Just over an hour in, Teshome clears a corner, but he slices the ball and it falls at the edge of the box, sticking in the mud. Bereket Addisu is on it in a flash and lashes a shot back across goal from twenty yards. This time, Ibrahim is rooted to his spot, and the ball finds the back of the net to the jubilant cheers of the Saint George faithful.

Fifteen minutes from time, the storyline is complete: Skibba, who has come on in the second half after his earlier struggles, slides a long pass on a line that splits Teshome and Aklilu Sefa, allowing Abera a free path to goal. Ibrahim rushes out, and slides in the mud: for a moment it looks like he has the ball, but it squirts free, and Abera slams it home into the empty net, then wheels away in celebration.

He sprints upfield, avoiding his teammates and makes a bee line directly for Tadesse Makonnen on the sidelines, sharing an emotional moment with the coach who has shepherded him through his early development.

Minutes later, Gebrekristos has Banks’ best chance of the day, but Adugna Deyas is up to it, blocking the ball out of bounds. That is the final action of note before Fega Girma blows his whistle, and the Saint George players collapse in a jubilant heap in front of their goal: it is a crowning achievement, and a bit of redemption against those who predicted the fall of the champions earlier in the season.

Ethio Premiere Championship Final

Ethiopian Banks Sports Club v Saint George, Mebrat Hall Stadium

Banks SC 0 – St. George 2 (Bereket Addisu 67, Mohammed Abera 76)

MoM: Peter Moyo (8.1)

Attendance: 8,109. Referee: Zekarias Fega Girma.

[Makonnen]

July 20, 2011

Red & Arabian Sea States Cup Group H

Busaiteen Sports Club v Saint George, Shaikh Ali Bin Mohammed Al-Khalifa Stadium

Busaiteen 0 – St. George 0

MoM: Kennedy Dube(7.7)

Attendance: 128. Referee: Ingida Teklearegay.

July 21, 2011

Red & Arabian Sea States Cup Group H

Ethiopian Coffee v Saint George, Addis Ababa Stadium

Ethiopian Coffee 0 – St. George 0

MoM: Eshetu Mohammed (7.6)

Attendance: 5407. Referee: Teshager Vassalo.

July 22, 2011

Red & Arabian Sea States Cup, Group H

Saint George v Esteghlal Tehran, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 0 – Esteghlal 0

MoM: Samson Mulugeta (7.4)

Attendance: 4875. Referee: Selamu Bekele.

July 23, 2011

Red & Arabian Sea States Cup, Group H

Saint George v Ethiopian Coffee, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 2 (Etehun Habte-Wold 3, Zerihun Boda 33) – Ethiopian Coffee 0

MoM: Makonnen Mamo (7.7)

Attendance: 5581. Referee: Seyoum Haile Mariam.

July 26, 2011

Red and Arabian Sea States Cup, Group H

Esteghlal Tehran v Saint George, Azadi

Esteghlal 3 (Farzad Ebrahimzadeh 44, Mehrdad Mostafavi 85 90) – St. George 1 (Yosef Ayalew 24)

MoM: Ebrahimzadeh (8.9) V’s Best: Ayalew (7.0)

Attendance: 24,053. Referee: Asmare Zenebe.

RASS Cup Update. July 28, 2011

Red & Arabian Sea States Cup, Group H

Saint George v Busaiteen Sports Club, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 2 (Alula Germa 54, Dawiss Neguissie 73) – Busaiteen 1 (Habib Bilal 33)

MoM: Bilal (8.3) V’s Best: Kennedy Dube (7.6)

Attendance: 3053. Referee: Teshager Vassalo.

Part of the appeal of the Red & Arabian Sea States Cup is its vast cruelty, something exemplified by the opening round of games that often see teams play five games in just over a week, usually in the blistering heat of the Middle East at high summer. It’s a massively unfair test of squad depth and determination and, as it occurs out of season for most of the involved leagues, a challenge as much for the club physios as for the players themselves.

Like all competitions its size, the RASS Cup has its minnows and its whales: so far, the cup has been won twice by Egyptian powerhouse Al-Ahly. To date, only one Ethiopian club has progressed beyond the group stage, that being Saint George who have done so each year, last year making it all the way to the quarterfinals.

Al-Ahly look a good bet this year as well, ending group play 6-0 with 22 goals scored while surrendering none. Led by Liberian striker Francis Doe’s eight goals and the quality supply provided by Mohammed Abou Trika, the Egyptian side will meet Ahli Fujeira of the UAE in the next round, a match unlikely to derail the defending champions.

While Doe was most likely the best player in the group stage, he was not the leading scorer, an honor which fell to Abdul Sesay of Zamalek, the Sierra Leonean finding the net nine times in his six matches. The third standout player of the early rounds would be Al-Hilal’s Danish international midfielder,Thomas Kristensen, whose passing has been a thing of joy and beauty to watch in leading the Saudi side to a perfect record in qualifying.

For the first time, two Ethiopian teams will progress out of the group stage, Bahir Dar joining Saint George in that accomplishment. Both teams needed results on the final day of qualification, but both were successful. For V, the next round may be decidedly easier than the group stage, as a win would be expected over Jordanian part-timers Faysali. Kuwait’s Fahaheel may pose a stiffer challenge for Bahir Dar, but it is quite possible that both clubs will move on.

Still, the manner of qualification will be a concern for Saint George: drawn to a group with Iranian side Esteghlal Tehran, Ethiopian Coffee, and Bahraini minnow Busaiteen, it was expected that the red and gold would have a comfortable path through the group stage, perhaps even at the top of their table.

Instead, they struggled mightily to score, opening with three consecutive 0-0 draws and managing only five goals in their final three games, finishing with two victories to go with the three draws in their results. Still, the nine points left them two ahead of fellow Ethiopian side Buna, and Tadesse Makonnen’s defense remains resolute.

Bahir Dar defender Haileyesus Sefa was probably the best Ethiopian player in the group stages, showing composure and a nice touch from the back line. Several players from Awassa could compete for that honor, but with their team managing only a single win, preference has to go to the Bahir Dar teenager.

How far the two Ethiopian sides will go will come down to the luck of the draw: if they can avoid Al-Ain, Zamalek, Al-Ahly, Ismaily, and a small handful of other clubs, progress is quite possible. First round games will kick off at the end of September, with the second leg in mid-October.

[Makonnen]

August 4, 2011

Friendly

Defence Sports Club v Saint George, Addis Ababa Stadium

Defence SC 1 (Worku Ayalew 49) – St. George 0

MoM: Firdu Gezaw (7.1) V’s Best: Peter Moyo (6.9)

Attendance: 1672. Referee: Samson Gawo.

August 6, 2011

Friendly

Kombolcha Textiles v Saint George, Dessie Stadium

Kombolcha 0 – St. George 2 (Umar Kidan 9, Dawiss Neguissie 23)

MoM: Kidan (7.7)

Attendance: 211. Referee: Shukri Gudina.

August 10, 2011

Friendly

Wonji Sugar v Saint George, Wonji Stadium

Wonji Sugar 1 (Chanyalew Eshete 9) – St. George 0

MoM: Eshetu Mohammed (7.2)

Attendance: 213. Referee: Seyoum Haile Mariam.

August 12, 2011

Friendly

Shashemane Kenema v Saint George, Shashemane Stadium

Shashemane 1 (Petros Ahmed 85) – St. George 0

MoM: Peter Moyo (7.5)

Attendance: 300. Referee: Gebrekristos Werate.

September 1, 2011

The four August friendlies were distressing for the red and gold: sure, injuries abounded with both Bereket Addisu and Salomon Opoku missing the week of games as they try to prepare for the upcoming season. But for a team that, a short two years ago, was the most powerful offensive engine the country had seen to be this inept in the attacking half against what must be considered decidedly inferior opposition is surely an area of concern for Tadesse Makonnen and his coaches.

While it may be a few years away, the future does offer some hope: today’s Under-19 International between host Mauritania and Ethiopia features no fewer than six players from Saint George, while another twelve are on the rosters for tomorrow’s Under-21 match and the clash of the two national sides on September 3^rd.

Mauritania is ranked 161^st in the world, ten places below Ethiopia, as such the eventual 2-2 draw must be considered an expected result for the youth side. Still, they will be wondering about how close a victory was after Insurance’s Mitiku Alemu tied the score, Saint George’s young winger, Zerihun Boda was able to put the visiting red, green, and gold ahead seconds before halftime with a marvelous volley from just inside the box.

The second half was scoreless until Mauritania’s Dickson Wilson was able to beat the offside trap and slide the ball beneath Meta Abo’s Jember Haile Mariam in the Ethiopian goal. It was the only lapse of the day for Ethiopia’s defense, led by Saint George’s Liban Elmi and Meta Abo’s Workneh Abera.

U19 International

Mauritania U19s v Ethiopia U19s, National Stadium

Mauritania 2 (Amidu Simpara 10, Dickson Wilson 69) – Ethiopia 2 (Mitiku Alemu 39, Zerihun Boda 45+1)

MoM: Wilson (8.6) Ethiopia’s Best: Boda (8.3)

Attendance: 74. Referee: Paul Odhiambo.

[Makonnen]

I have struggled to find a compelling narrative for Tadesse Makonnen and Saint George. His character is clear in my mind, as are a few potential story arcs, but nothing seems to actually stick in the writing. As such, I will be shifting the red and gold to a format of monthly updates, focusing on V, but with information about other important events in Ethiopian soccer as well.

My hope is that, after a few seasons of that, more of the individual characters will stand out for me, and I can gradually return to a narrative format for their exploits. Until then, I hope you either enjoy or find it easier to skip over …

Thanks to Mark Heath for some of the inspiration for the change.

September 11, 2011

Ethio-Italian Friendship Cup, First Round, Leg One

Saint George v Mezzocorona, Addis Ababa Stadium

The first round of the Ethio-Italian Friendship Cup opens today with Mezzocorona visiting Addis Ababa to take on two-time runners-up in the competition, Saint George.

The game is dominated by the hosts, who spend most of their time in the attacking half of the field, but look to be frustrated early on. A sample run of play sees Kennedy Dube send the ball in from the left wing to a waitingLencho Skibba, who controls it well, drawing two defenders towards the endline before passing sharply to Andrew Sinkala at the edge of the six. Sinkala’s shot has Ivano Rotoli beat in Mezzocorona’s goal, but it bounces off his knee, then off the back of Andrea Tonini, who never sees it. The initial clearance is intercepted by Atakilti Mengesha, who heads it onto the woodwork before the Italian defense can finally clear the danger.

So, lots of chances, but nothing to show for it until a good pass from Sinkala rolls into the path of a darting Fitsum Kebede who is able to volley it neatly into the back of the net.

With that, the floodgates open: Skibba adds Saint George’s second when the Italian defense are far too slow to close him down, and Mengesha adds two more, one from a penalty.

The final scoreline of 4-0 flatters the hosts, but they were clearly the better team on the day, and are well positioned—barring a total collapse in the second leg—to move on to the next round.

St. George 4 (Fitsum Kebede 20, Lencho Skibba 24, Atakilti Mengesha 47 53p)– Mezzocorona 0

MoM: Kebede (9.1)

Attendance: 2668. Referee: Yohannes Kayira.

Elsewhere, Sidama, EEPCo, Metehara Sugar, Meta Abo, and Southern Police all qualify for the next round against their Italian opposition, while Awassa knocked out fellow Ethiopian side Bahir Dar.

September 19, 2011

Friendly

Saint George v Metehara Sugar, Addis Ababa Stadium

Another drab friendly. Saint George need to find their form at some point here.

St. George 1 (Bayeh Woldemarian 40og) – Metehara Sugar 0

MoM: Kennedy Dube (7.0)

Attendance: 961. Referee: Samson Gawo.

September 21, 2011

Ethio-Italian Friendship Cup First Round Second Leg

Mezzocorona v Saint George, Mezzocorona

With a four goal lead, Saint George essentially coasted through the second leg of their matchup with Mezzocorona and, despite their clear frustration at giving up the late goal, Tadesse Makonnen and his staff have to be pleased to move on to the next round of the competition.

Mezzocorona 2 (Davide Panizza 37, Tommaso Marolda 75) – St. George 1(Atakilti Mengesha 10)

MoM: Marolda (7.5) V’s Best: Kennedy Dube (7.0)

Attendance: 216. Referee: Teshager Vassalo.

September 23, 2011

Friendly

Dire Dawa City v Saint George, Dire Dawa Stadium

Only a late goal from Ochan Bayalegne prevented this game from ending in the scoreless draw it deserved. The less said, the better.

Dire Dawa 0 – St. George 1 (Ochan Bayalegne 90+4)

MoM: Ababi Gudina (7.5) V’s Best: Kennedy Dube (7.3)

Attendance: 204. Referee: Rabia Agalu.

September 25, 2011

Friendly

Saint George v Harrar Beer Bottling Football Club, Addis Ababa Stadium

A goal from Andrew Sinkala and, more importantly, two from Zambian importFelix Sunzu saw St. George turn away Harrar Beer in an early friendly match in Addis Ababa. Could Sunzu be the second striker Tadesse Makonnen has been looking for? And, could young Makonnen Mamo, who assisted on all three goals, be the long term solution in deep midfield?

St. George 3 (Andrew Sinkala 42, Felix Sunzu 67 90+2) – Harrar Beer 0

MoM: Makonnen Mamo (8.7)

Attendance: 914. Referee: Samson Gawo.

September 30, 2011

RASS Cup First Round First Leg

Saint George v Faysali, Addis Ababa Stadium

V welcomed the Jordanian side to Addis Ababa with a team at full strength. The linking play between Bereket Addisu to Fitsum Kebede proved too much for the visitors, and after Kebede hit the post following an Addisu pass, they combined again on a give-and-go that left Kebede unmarked at the top of the box. He buried the shot to put Saint George ahead.

With young Zerihun Taddele in goal (Adugna Deyas still recovering from injury), the lead seemed more at risk, but V held on to take a one goal lead into the second leg next month.

St. George 1 (Fitsum Kebede 7) – Faysali 0

MoM: Kennedy Dube (7.8)

Attendance: 3066. Referee: Shukri Gudina.

[Makonnen]

October, 2011 Summary

At long last, the Ethio Premiere league season looms in the immediate future. As such, this entry will be followed by a team preview for the 2011/12 Saint George campaign. Before that, however, a look back at the past month.

October 5, 2011

Ethio-Italian Friendship Cup Second Round, First Leg

The match against Pisa to open the second round of the Ethio-Italian Friendship Cup is a hard-fought affair, full of stout defending and hard fouls from both sides. With under fifteen minutes to go, Pisa’s defense loses track of Fitsum Kebede just outside the area, where a crisp pass from Meseret Desta finds him. Kebede takes a touch and sends a curving ball high and hard into Pisa’s net, just beyond the reach of Alin Bucuroiu.

The game ends frantically, with Felix Sunzu’s first goal for the club called back for a shove in the box, and Zerihun Taddele—in goal for V with Adugna Deyas out with injury—has to leap high to tip a drive from Pisa’s Diego Silve Reis over the bar.

Saint George is the only of the seven Ethiopian clubs to play in the second leg of the competition to post a victory. Even for V, the second leg will be a challenge: will any African club progress to the third round?

Saint George v Pisa, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 1 (Fitsum Kebede 77) – Pisa 0

MoM: Peter Moyo (7.7)

Attendance: 2815. Referee: Atalay Dereje.

October 6, 2011

U19 International

The game against Ghana’s Under-19 internationals represents what Ethiopia aspires to be: an African country consistently producing top talent and able to at least threaten on the international stage.

Nobody expects us to win, and when we pull level just into the second half off a lovely turn from Altalel Chekol, the home crowd explodes in a frenzy.

But we cannot hold them, and the final score is only a little unkind to us. Someday.

Ethiopia v Ghana, Addis Ababa Stadium

Ethiopia 1 (Altalel Chekol 49) – Ghana 3 (John Benson 17, John Sapong 68, Alhaji Mensah 86)

MoM: Sapong (7.6) Ethiopia’s Best: Tekle Tamitu (6.9)

Attendance: 1178. Referee: Clement Phakathi.

October 12, 2011

We were a long shot to qualify for the World Cup in Brazil from the get-go. But now, our chances have dropped virtually to nil: when the ceremony was complete, we found ourselves in Group Eight, easily the toughest in the draw, along with Togo, the Ivory Coast, and Sierra Leone.

Group Five, for example, has Angola, Djibouti, Kenya, and the Sudan. Twelve has Eritrea, Morocco, Tanzania, and Uganda. No such luck of the draw for the red, gold, and green, unfortunately.

October 13, 2011

Red & Arabian Sea States Cup, First Round, Second Leg

We carry a narrow 1-0 lead into our second leg of first round play in the RASS Cup and are wary of playing Faysali at their Jordanian home.

We shouldn’t have been: the scoring begins when a long pass from Kennedy Dube frees Lencho Skibba, who buries the shot in the near corner. Skibba adds another and then, barely a minute on, a cross from Fitsum Kebede finds Bereket Addisu in the box for a lovely volley.

Meseret Desta adds his first for the club, and we’re more than safely through to the next round, despite giving up a late goal.

Al-Faysali v Saint George, Amman International Stadium

Faysali 1 (Basem Mohammed 83) – St. George 4 (Lencho Skibba 7 19, Bereket Addisu 20, Meseret Desta 51) [st. George win 5-1 on aggregate]

MoM: Skibba (8.8)

Attendance: 180. Referee: Seyoum Haile Mariam.

Bahir Dar joins V in progressing with a 2-1 win over Fahaheel behind a lovely goal from Teodoros Heshu.

October 15, 2011

Friendly

We have three friendlies left and need to ratchet up our performances before the regular season. However, we’ll still playing a lot of second—and third—team players in these matches. Given that, this wasn’t a bad performances, if our play remains a little uninspired.

Guna Trading of Mekele v Saint George, Tigray Stadium

Guna Trading 1 (Zecherias Binegdie 60p) – St. George 2 (Abebe Wassihum 4, Atakilti Mengesha 29)

MoM: Liban Elmi (7.8)

Attendance: 208. Referee: Makonnen Vassalo.

October 19, 2011

Ethio-Italian Friendship Cup Second Round, Leg Two

Clinging to a one goal lead from the first leg, I was concerned we would come out flat. Instead, we dominate the first half, with Fitsum Kebede burying a shot from twenty-two yards out and Peter Moyo getting up from his defensive position to send a lovely cross from Kennedy Dube home on a powerful header.

The second half lacks passion, but the Jordanian side poses no real threat to a three goal lead, even when they pull on back with ten minutes remaining.

Pisa v Saint George, Arena Garibaldi-Romeo Anconetani

Pisa 1 (Diego Silva Reis 79) – St. George 2 (Fitsum Kebede 8, Peter Moyo 21)[V win 3-1 on aggregate]

MoM: Moyo (8.7)

Attendance: 8019. Referee: Asmare Zenebe.

October 23, 2011

Friendly

It’s a better performance—especially the goal from Kennedy Dube—but we are still waiting for our game to really come together.

Almeda Textiles Football Club v Saint George, Tigray Stadium

Almeda 0 – St. George 1 (Kennedy Dube 20)

MoM: Dube (7.7)

Attendance: 212. Referee: Samson Gawo.

October 26, 2011

Friendly

We face Banks SC in our final preseason friendly, searching for better performances against Ethiopian competition. It’s better, if not quite at full throttle: we earn a penalty in the first half and a fantastic volley from young Daniel Agonfar enlivens the second.

Saint George v Ethiopian Banks Sports Club, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 2 (Meseret Desta 38p, Daniel Agonfar 76) – Banks SC 0

MoM: Samson Mulugeta (7.6)

Attendance: 999. Referee: Atalay Dereje.

October 30, 2011

Red and Arabian Sea Stats Cup Second Round First Leg

Again, our draw is unlucky: we face Egyptian giants Zamalek in the second round of the RASS Cup, most likely marking our exit from the tournament.

They are led by Sierra Leonean striker Abdul Sesay who is averaging over a goal per game in cup competitions along with the steady midfield play of Hassan Mostafa and Costa Rican international José Luis López. But their entire roster exceeds ours: striker Ahmed Abdel Ghany is worth more than our entire franchise.

Ten minutes in, Fitsum Kebede forces a fantastic save from veteran Botswana goalkeeper Modiri Marumo. Aside from that, the first half is surprisingly even.

It doesn’t last: an amazing first-time volley from Mostafa puts them in the lead just after halftime. The pass is from defender Ahmed Ouali Alami who again cuts us open just shy of an hour, sending the ball into the box where Sesay is able to meet it squarely with a leaping header.

Still, it is as good a 2-0 loss as you’ll ever see, and an indication that maybe, just maybe, we have hope in the rematch at home next month.

Zamalek Sporting Club v Saint George, Cairo International Stadium

Zamalek 2 (Hassan Mostafa 40, Abdul Sesay 57) – St. George 0

MoM: Ahmed Ouali Alami (8.5) V’s Best: Liban Elmi (7.1)

Attendance: 36,536. Referee: Mulugeta Dubarish.

October, 2011

Overall, a pretty solid month: we advance in the only competition we could, we are coming into form for the regular season, and the game against Zamalek was a good performance, even if the result—and our eventual exist from theRASS Cup—is an assumed formality.

[Makonnen]

2011/12 Saint George Season Preview

Taking a little different approach with these now, indicating both starters and players on loan—there are a lot of those, many of which will be recalled in January to cope with the flood of games the Ethiopian and African cups create at the start of the calendar year.

There are some transfer rumors surrounding Saint George, but this preview reflects the squad as it exists before the start of the of the 2011/12 Ethiopian season.

Goalkeepers

Adugna Deyas is the incumbent and should be for a few more years as well. He is a rock, and a mainstay of the Ethiopian national team. However, bothZerihun Taddele (19) and Mesfin Negash (18) are coming up behind and have reached that age where first team opportunities will become vital to their development. Kenyan import John Odhiambo rounds out the keepers, but will spend all year on the youth squad, barring a severe injury crisis.

On Loan: Fikre Mariam (Wonji Sugar).

Defenders

Because of other arrivals, Zimbabwean veteran Peter Moyo will move to the flanks this year, pairing with either fellow countryman Kennedy Dube or Ethiopian teenager Liban Elmi. The middle is anchored by Ethiopian mainstaySamson Mulugeta and Rwandan import Léandre Bizagwira. The most exciting prospect may be an eighteen year old from Reunion, Pierre Delormewho, along with Samuel Degefe and Wodemagne Mengestu, will provide cover.

On loan: Fitsum Tsegazab (Awassa).

Defensive Midfielders

Historically a weakness for Saint George, the development of Makonnen Mamoand the signing of young Kenyan Oscar Kitavi both threaten to unseat long time starter Mulalem Regassa, with veteran Saladin Yemenu providing cover.

Wide Midfielders

The departure of Makonnen Abera will of course be felt, with Ishmael Ishmael taking over on the left and pairing with a mixture of Daniel Agonfarand Meseret Desta on the right. With none of the three over eighteen,Bereket Yitsak will be turned to for some experience while Kenyan youngsterMaurice Biketi will help out as he can.

On loan: Egziabher Lalemo (Awassa).

Attacking Midfielders

This remains Saint George’s strength, with Lencho Skibba and Fitsum Kebede continuing to lead V’s attack. With both in their early twenties, if Saint George can hold on to the pair, they look likely to go down in history as the best attacking duo in the history of the club. They will be supported by the versatile Andrew Sinkala and promising youngster Alula Germa.

On loan: Ochan Bayalegne (Awassa).

Attackers

Bereket Addisu remains the first choice up front, with temperamental ZambianFelix Sunzu and young Atakilti Mengesha looking to get quite a bit of time off Tadesse Makonnen’s bench. There is a wealth of additional talent here, with four strikers out on recallable loan if needed.

On loan: Bineyam Teshome (Insurance), Said Saladin (Wonji Sugar), Solomon Opoku (Meta Abo), Shalo Bikila (Ethiopian Coffee).

Notable Youth

While much of the first team are still teenagers themselves, Saint George still has the depth to have some developing talent on its youth side. The most promising of these are wide midfielder Zerihun Boda, striker Abebe Wassihun,and the goalkeeping duo of Negash and Odhiambo. Defender Eshetu Mohammed and winger Bereded Gawo have both seen extended time with the senior squad, and figure to be called up again this year as well.

[tenthreeleader]

Just a terrific overall body of work, Mak. Lots to be pleased about for a justly-rewarded story.

[Makonnen]

@tenthreeleader, Thanks! I am/was hoping the change in format would bring more followers to Saint George. We'll see. Clearly, I need to include Mark Wilson in the title ...

November 2, 2011

Ethio Premiere

Saint George open up their season on the road against a Wonji Sugar club most peg as facing a struggle to remain in Ethiopia’s top division. The star of the game was really Wonji’s veteran goalkeeper Umar Ali, who had a stunning game for the home side.

However, goals for V were inevitable, and a late run into the box brought Makonnen Mamo a clear chance on a rebound that the midfielder volleyed hard and true into the roof of the net.

Daniel Agonfar’s first goal of the season was a matter of sheer persistence: Ali was able to block his first two attempts, but the third eluded Wonji’s captain and provided the final margin of victory for Saint George.

Wonji Sugar v Saint George, Wonji Stadium

Wonji Sugar 0 – St. George 2 (Makonnen Mamo 53, Daniel Agonfar 69)

MoM: Mamo (7.9)

Attendance: 817. Referee: Umeta Ibrahim.

November 6, 2011

Ethio Premiere

Saint George destroyed a barely competitive Nyala side, piling on the goals with Meseret Desta earning a hat trick courtesy of a cool finish and then two penalties. Striker Bereket Addisu added a goal—a great sign for fans of the defending champions, since the talented forward had struggled to find the net for quite some time, and both Fitsum Kebede and the versatile Andrew Sinkala got in on the act as well.

Saint George v Nyala Sports Club, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 6 (Meseret Desta 5 48p 51p, Bereket Addisu 11, Fitsum Kebede 35, Andrew Sinkala 73) – Nyala SC 0

MoM: Desta (9.6)

Attendance: 5715. Referee: Tessema Bayisse.

November 9, 2011

Ethio Premiere

Two crosses, two headers, two goals; one for defender Pierre Delorme, the second for young winger Daniel Agonfar with both crosses coming from the talented foot of Kennedy Dube, who walked away with a well-deserved match ball in a game V never looked like losing.

Harrar Beer Bottling Football Club v Saint George, Harar Bira Stadium

Harrar Beer 0 – St. George 2 (Pierre Delorme 12, Daniel Agonfar 39)

MoM: Kennedy Dube (9.0)

Attendance: 1276. Referee: Virgalem Wigidrgis.

November 13, 2011

Red and Arabian Sea States Cup 2^nd Round Leg 2

Trailing 2-0 after the first leg, today’s match against Zamalek—the defending champions of the All-African Challenge, eleven time Egyptian Premier Leaguechampions, twenty time winner of the Egyptian Cup—looked to be essentially pro forma. However, the home crowd was rowdy and Saint George came out strong defensively and when, in first half stoppage time, Lencho Skibba was able to skip past Mohamed Sedeek at the back of Zamalek’s defense and place the ball neatly into the corner of the net, a surge of optimism ran through Addis Ababa Stadium.

The second half showed V as lacking the final touch, the final shot: Bereket Addisu had a clear chance on the hour, but Modiri Marumo, the veteran goalkeeper from Botswana, was able to smother his low drive.

Minutes later, however, Libyan defender Naji Shushan tripped Atakilti Mengesha—on for the exhausted Skibba just five minutes prior—in the box. It was a blatant penalty, and a deafening explosion of drums, bells, and high-pitched ululations exploded from the stands, dropping to a whisper as Mengesha stepped up to take the spot kick.

The eighteen year old was cool and composed, and Marumo had no chance as the shot sailed over his arms, spinning into the cord at the back of the net.

With that, the unthinkable had happened: Saint George had fought back to tie Zamalek on aggregate, and the visitors look stunned. Indeed, the hosts almost won in regulation with another shot from Mengesha rolling tantalizingly across the goal mouth after Marumo was pulled out of position.

The extra period was more of the same, with Mengesha skimming two headers off the top of the bar and then Marumo somehow keeping out both a volley from Bereket Addisu from inside the six and a powerful header from Peter Moyo just before the final whistle.

The game moved on to penalties and, without any exaggeration, the possibility of the greatest victory in the history of Ethiopian soccer.

Mengesha shot first and scored easily, but so did Ahmed Ouali Alami.

Marumo went the wrong way on Meseret Desta’s shot and while Adugna Deyas was able to get a hand on it, Ahmed Abdel Latif’s ball skittered under his body and over the line.

Ishmael Ishmael’s shot was straight down the middle and not particularly well-hit, but Marumo had jumped hard to his left and could only look over his shoulder as it sailed by. Up stepped the Costa Rican veteran José Luis López, who easily beat Deyas.

The penalty shootout was tied at three, with only two shots to go in the initial series of kicks. They would all be converted: Léandre Bizagwira and Fitsum Kebede for Saint George and Naji Shusan and Ahmed Kamal for Zamalek.

To open sudden death, V’s Bereket Addisu made it six straight for the hosts, his shot clattering off the side post before rolling into the net. The Angolan midfielder Zé Kalanga was next, and his shot looked true, but Deyas had guessed correctly, and the ball bounced off the chest of Saint George’s goalkeeper, rolling harmlessly back towards Kalanga who sank to his knees in disbelief.

Saint George had done it! A victory over one of the traditional powers in Middle Eastern football, and a place in the semifinals of the RASS cup!

Saint George v Zamalek Sporting Club, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 2 (Lencho Skibba 45+1, Atakilti Mengesha 70p) – Zamalek 0[saint George win 6-5 on penalties]

MoM: Peter Moyo (8.7)

Attendance: 5851. Referee: Samson Gawo.

November 14, 2011

The draw for the Red and Arabian Sea States is as kind as it can be: defending champs Al-Ahly face off against Al-Ain, while Saint George draw Iranian side Zob-Ahan. A tall order still, but not as high a mountain as either of the other teams.

November 16, 2011

Young defender Pierre Delorme plays almost a full match for Reunion in a 2-0 friendly win over Swaziland.

November 19, 2011

Ethio Premiere

The only highlight of the game was a drive from Liban Elmi from forty yards out that clattered against the woodwork. Other than that, nothing much happened, certainly nothing good for Saint George.

A draw against Sebeta is not a good thing, and the game reveals V as deserving their exile from the top of the league standings. Even accounting for a letdown after the emotionally draining and historic victory over Zamalek, Sebeta City should have been easy pickings.

Ethio Premiere

Saint George v Sebeta City, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 0 – Sebeta City 0

MoM: Tadesse Bekele (7.6) V’s Best: Kennedy Dube (7.5)

Attendance: 5633. Referee: Asmare Zenebe.

November 23, 2011

Ethio Premiere

Saint George provided their worst performance of the season, unable to get the ball past Bereket Mebratu in Metehara’s goal. It’s a game that V should have won easily, and the second consecutive lifeless showing does not bode well for the year.

Metehara Sugar v Saint George, Sugar Stadium

Metehara Sugar 0 – St. George 0

MoM: Peter Moyo (7.4)

Attendance: 1308. Referee: Yohannes Kayira

November 27, 2011

Ethio Premiere

With recent form as bad as it has been, this had the makings of a hard match: Awassa is a good team, and usually plays Saint George to a virtual standstill.

As the schedule compresses, Andrew Sinkala was pressed into duty at forward. He made the most of the opportunity, taking a long pass from Mulalem Regassa to score the first of the game, and then set free by Ishmael Ishmael for the second with a ball that Lencho Skibba hops over, allowing Sinkala to receive it and volley in from ten yards out.

From that start, Saint George destroyed the team from Awassa, with Ishmael scoring two and Skibba adding the fifth just after halftime. The game was a strong statement that the doldrums of the prior two matches were, perhaps, merely temporary.

Saint George v Awassa, Addis Ababa stadium

St. George 5 (Andrew Sinkala 10 24, Ishmael Ishmael 34 37, Lencho Skibba 52) – Awassa 0

MoM: Ishmael (9.6)

Attendance: 3982. Referee: Mulugeta Dubarish.

After the game, Saint George announced the signing of winger George Mapfumo from Zimbabwean side Highlanders. Mapfumo comes highly rated, and looks likely to step right into the midfield rotation for the red and gold.

November 30, 2011

Ethio Premiere

It was not a pretty game, but it did feature a goal on Mapfumo’s debut, a neatly side-footed volley from a Mesfin Ayenew cross midway through the first half.

Muger Cement remain undefeated at the top of the league, with V trailing them in second place.

Adama City Football Club v Saint George, Adama Stadium

Adama City 0 – St. George 1 (George Mapfumo 26)

MoM: Mesfin Ayenew (7.9)

Attendance: 685. Referee: Shukri Gudina.

OVERALL

On the basis of the performance in the league alone, it would have been a disappointing month. But that would ignore the incredible victory over Zamalek, which will go down in the annals of Ethiopian football lore: to come back from a 2-0 deficit after the first leg, and then to win it by converting a half-dozen consecutive penalties was a great triumph for Tadesse Makonnen and his side.

[Makonnen]

December 4, 2011

Ethio Premiere

With Makonnen Mamo and Oscar Kitavi pushing him for playing time, veteran Mulalem Regassa has felt the pressure to prove he still deserves his spot as V’s first choice deep midfielder. Against Banks SC, Regassa laid claim to his position with a marvelous volley from twenty-four yards out that curled gently into the upper corner of the net twenty minutes into the game.

Saint George were prevented from adding to their lead largely through the efforts of Tafess Ibrahim in Banks’ goal with Andrew Sinkala denied twice on shots from close range. Still, the champions were clearly the better side and when Fitsum Kebede scored in extra time after a simple square ball from Atakilti Mengesha, it was quite well deserved.

Saint George v Ethiopian Banks Sports Club, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 2 (Mulalem Regassa 21, Fitsum Kebede 90+1) – Banks SC 0

MoM: Kennedy Dube (7.9)

Attendance: 4450. Referee: Seyoum Haile Mariam.

With Bahir Dar holding Muger Cement to a scoreless draw, the victory moved Saint George into first place in the league.

December 7, 2011

Ethio Premiere

Between match congestion and a series of injuries, young midfielder Oscar Kitavi was pressed into service on the left side of Saint George’s defense and the young Kenyan contributed well to the only goal of the match, sliding a pass through to Alula Germa, whose shot from six yards out was parried brilliantly by Atinafu Tadesse in Dedebit’s goal, only to see the rebound fall comfortably to Fitsum Kebede who was able to volley it home.

Dedebit Football Club v Saint George, Nyala Stadium

Dedebit 0 – St. George 1 (Fitsum Kebede 50)

MoM: Kebede (7.5)

Attendance: 1317. Referee: Ingida Teklearegay.

December 11, 2011

Ethio Premiere

In the tenth game of the season, Saint George finally surrendered a goal when Ethiopian Coffee’s Mulalem Katew controlled a long cross from Andualem Negussie and beat Mesfin Negash who was filling in for the injured Adugna Deyas in V’s goal.

The strike drew Buna to within one, Saint George having taken the lead on two scores from Atakilti Mengesha. Mengesha’s searing start to the season sees him laying claim to the second-string striker slot behind Bereket Addisu, keeping flamboyant Zambian import Felix Sunzu on the bench.

Andrew Sinkala, provider on one of Mengesha’s early goals, reversed roles with the teenage sensation midway through the second half to push the lead back to two.

Saint George v Ethiopian Coffee Sport Club

St. George 3 (Atakilti Mengesha 9 27, Andrew Sinkala 73) – Ethiopian Coffee 1 (Mulalem Katew 33)

MoM: Mengesha (8.8)

Attendance: 5771. Referee: Indiga Teklearegay.

December 14, 2011

Ethio Premiere

Muger Cement has been the surprise of the league so far, keeping pace with Saint George through the first dozen games of the season. Today, they showed why, fighting nobly—if a bit defensively—in front of their home fans.

Fifteen minutes from the end, however, Makonnen Mamo found newcomer George Mapfumo in the middle of the pitch and the young Zimbabwean winger touched the ball neatly into Alula Gerrma’s path. Germa slowed down to allow Muger defender Merare Anbesse’s momentum to carry him well past, then touched the ball to the outside before sliding it brilliantly inside the near post. It was a great goal, showing poise and control that belies Germa’s nineteen years.

The scoring surprise of the year for Saint George, however, is Andrew Sinkala whose extra time goal lifted him into a tie with Berhane Alemseged of Adama City for the league lead with five.

Muger Cement v Saint George, Wonji Stadium

Muger Cement 0 – St. George 2 (Alula Germa 75, Andrew Sinkala 90+4)

MoM: Germa (8.3)

Attendance: 1101. Referee: Yohannes Kayira.

The loss, combined with Bahir Dar’s 4-1 win over Harrar Beer moves them into second place over Muger Cement.

December 17, 2011

Ethio Premiere

While someone will slow down the streaking red and gold at some point, Trans Ethiopia was clearly outclassed today. Lencho Skibba was the architect of the opening two goals and after Meseret Desta took a long pass behind the defense from Andrew Sinkala, it looked like a rout was the order of the day.

The second half, however, was a disappointment from both sides as Saint George lost interest in the proceedings and Trans was unable to take advantage.

Saint George v Trans Ethiopia, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 3 (Atakilti Mengesha 19, Zerihun Boda 33, Meseret Desta 45) – Trans Ethiopia 0

MoM: Boda (7.9)

Attendance: 3563. Referee: Seyoum Haile Mariam.

December 21, 2011

Ethio-Italian Friendship Cup Quarterfinal, Leg 1

The run of league games is interrupted by Saint George’s quarterfinal matchup with Meta Abo Brewry in the Ethio-Italian Friendship Cup. The match went as expected: Saint George came in knowing they were the better team, and they dominated the game, scoring when Andrew Sinkala converted a penalty after a foul inside the box by Meta Abo’s Elias Ferah Ahmed and later on a lovely controlled volley from Lencho Skibba.

Given the match congestion, as important as the win is the fact that the two goal margin of victory should allow Tadesse Makonnen to rest some of his starters in the second leg.

Meta Abo Brewery Sports Club v Saint George, Bankoch Stadium

Meta Abo 0 – St. George 2 (Andrew Sinkala 36p, Lencho Skibba 45)

MoM: Felix Sunzu (9.0)

Attendance: 2570. Referee: Seyoum Haile Mariam.

December 26, 2011

Red and Arabian Sea States Cup Quarterfinal, Leg One

After the dramatic, stunning upset of Zamalek, Saint George faced Iranian side Zob-Ahan Esfahan in the quarterfinals of the Red and Arabian Sea Stats Cup. While an easier opponent than the Egyptian powerhouse, Zob-Ahan, led by midfielder Mohammad Reza Khalatbari, remains a team that most would place a class above the Ethiopian champions.

That quality shone through in the first half, with Hamid Yousefzadeh scoring twice and providing the pass that freed Hosain Heydari for the opening goal, giving the Iranian hosts a three-goal lead at halftime.

Saint George came out much stronger in the second half, and only some stellar play from Zob-Ahan’s goalkeeper, Ahmad Mousavi, prevented them from clawing back into the match. In stoppage time, the visitors managed to score a crucial away goal when Lencho Skibba found Atakilti Mengesha behind the Iranian defense.

The last minute strike means that, again, Saint George face a two goal deficit in the home leg of their matchup, but based on today’s performance, it looks to be a tall order.

Zob-Ahan Esfahan v Saint George, Fouladshahr

Zob-Ahan 3 (Hosain Heydari 7, Hamid Yousefzadeh 15 45+2) – St. George 1(Atakilti Mengesha 90+1)

MoM: Yousefzadeh (8.8) V’s Best: Mengesha (7.3)

Attendance: 3214. Referee: Zekarias Fega Girma.

December 28, 2011

Ethio Premiere

Saint George fielded largely a reserve squad for their return to league play, but that should have been plenty of quality to see off the threat of Fincha’a Sugar. Indeed, the visitors took the lead early and never looked back, with promising young defender Pierre Delorme scoring a powerful header from a corner kick and Atakilti Mengesha converting a penalty after Felix Sunzu was tripped inside the box.

Sunzu, who is struggling to get on the scoresheet so far this season, looked to finally break through just after halftime, but his well placed header was disallowed with referee Atalay Dereje believing he had shoved Wodemagne Fenta unfairly to gain position.

Fincha’a Sugar v Saint George, Insurance Stadium

Fincha’a 0 – St. George 2 (Pierre Delorme 8, Atakilti Mengesha 25p)

MoM: Delorme (7.9)

Attendance: 1509. Referee: Atalay Dereje.

December 31, 2011

Ethio-Italian Friendship Cup Quarterfinal, Second Leg

Saint George closed out 2011 with the second leg of their quarterfinal matchup with Meta Abo Brewery, carrying a two goal advantage. Just two minutes in, Andrew Sinkala used a brilliant first touch to free himself on goal, outracing the Meta Abo defense and easily beating Asmare Mahmed in their goal.

Mahmed would, within the next ten minutes, twice deny Sinkala his brace from point-plank headers, but after the opening quarter hour the game faded in intensity, with Saint George only threatening occasionally, safely confident their opposition would be unable to make up the three goal margin.

Saint George v Meta Abo Brewery Sports Club, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 1 (Andrew Sinkala 2) – Meta Abo 0 [st. George win 3-0 on aggregate]

MoM: Sinkala (7.7)

Attendance: 3382. Referee: Zekarias Fega Girma.

With the win, Saint George are the only Ethiopian side in the final four, joining Italian clubs Casale, Sacilese, and Bellaria in the semifinals. Sacilese has to be considered the favorites, having won seven straight matches in the competition and leading all teams with 14 goals to their credit.

OVERALL

A great month for the red and gold: the unbeaten streak in the league saw them take the top spot there, and the expected win against Meta Abo sees them into the final four of the Ethio-Italian Friendship Cup. All signs point to their run in the Red & Arabian Sea States Cup coming to an end against Zob-Ahan, but with both African Champions League play and the Addis City Cuplooming, perhaps that’s not the worst thing.

[Makonnen]

January 4, 2012

Ethio Premiere

The first game of 2012 for Saint George was a highly anticipated affair, marking both the debut of Behailu Assefa after his high profile move from Awassa and a visit to Addis Ababa Stadium from emerging rival Bahir Dar University.

The game itself, however, was all about Lencho Skibba, with V’s attacking midfielder scoring a hat trick to lead the home side to victory. The first two were create from searching passes from Makonnen Mamo, the final was more the product of Skibba himself, who took a backheel from Bereket Addisu and slotted it perfectly inside the post.

Saint George v Bahir Dar University, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 3 (Lencho Skibba 1 55 88) – Bahir Dar 0

MoM: Skibba (9.6)

Attendance: 3553. Referee: Yohannes Kayira.

January 8, 2012

Ethio Premiere

A poor game saw newly promoted Nyala come within five minutes of a shocking tie, but a long pass from Léandre Bizagwira found Felix Sunzu just inside the edge of the penalty box, and the power of his shot took it easily past Asrat Sufa in Nyala’s goal.

Nyala Sports Club v Saint George, Nyala Stadium

Nyala 0 – St. George 1 (Felix Sunzu 86)

MoM: Léandre Bizagwira (7.9)

Attendance: 1336. Referee: Virgalem Wigidrgis.

January 10, 2012

The All-Africa Challenge groups are announced, with Saint George being placed in Group B alongside Raja Casablanca, ES Tunis, FAR Rabat, GDR Libolo, and fellow Ethiopian side Awassa.

January 11, 2012

Ethio Premiere

Harrar Beer’s Bekaylu Shasute is setting the team record for appearances today and the veteran has a fantastic time of it in goal for the visitors, making great saves to deny Behailu Assefa on a close-range header and Fitsum Kebede on a shot from twenty yards that looked destined for the far corner.

Some lax defending from Fikre Teka proved Harrar’s undoing in the twenty-third minute when he allowed Assefa to stride into the box unopposed before a laser shot found its way between Shasute and his near post.

Saint George dominated the match from start to finish and added two scores at the end for the final margin of victory, one on a lovely, spinning run from Bereket Addisu and the other a twenty-five yard blast from Mulalem Regassa.

Saint George v Harrar Beer Bottling Football Club, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 3 (Behailu Assefa 23, Bereket Addisu 85, Mulalem Regassa 89) – Harrar Beer 0

MoM: Regassa (9.2)

Attendance: 3567. Referee: Asmare Zenebe.

January 14, 2012

Ethio Premeiere

Saint George continued their incredible run in the league, easily brushing aside Defence SC behind a yeoman effort from Bereket Addisu, who created two goals and scored a third, his fiftieth for the red and gold.

Defence Sports Club v Saint George, Addis Ababa Stadium

Defence SC 0 – St. George 4 (Bineyam Ibrahim 12og, Lencho Skibba 15, Atakilti Mengesha 27, Bereket Addisu 63)

MoM: Addisu (9.1)

Attendance: 4585. Referee: Umeta Ibrahim.

January 18, 2012

Ethio Premiere

The game against Wonji Sugar started predictably, with Fitsum Kebede sending the ball towards Felix Sunzu inside the box only four minutes in. The imposing Zambian forward found the angle between Wonji’s Teshager Gudina and the post for an early 1-0 lead for the red and gold.

From there, however, V lost the thread, and despite having the better of play, the game passed the hour mark with the scoreline unchanged.

With thirteen minutes left, a stunning volley from thirty yards out by Wonji’s Fikru Abera tied the score and stunned the crowd. The goal—Wonji’s only shot on target for the entire game—was the result of a lovely piece of skill as Abera was able to touch the ball over Samuel Degefe before pouncing on it and sending it looping over Adugna Deyas and into the far corner of the goal.

It’s only the second goal surrendered by Saint George on the season.

Saint George v Wonji Sugar, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 1 (Felix Sunzu 4) – Wonji 1 (Fikru Abera 77)

MoM: Fitsum Kebede (7.7)

Attendance: 3561. Referee: Umeta Ibrahim.

January 21, 2012

Kenyan midfielder Maurice Biketi, seen as part of Saint George’s long-term future, is on his way to the Caribbean: Harbour View FC approached with an offer in the $200,000 range which proved too much for the brass at Saint George to resist.

Addis Cup Group C

Today also saw the opening game of group play in qualification for the Addis Cup, the annual tournament for teams located in and around Ethiopia’s capital city.

Expected to win the entire tournament, Saint George began the journey with a convincing victory over Metehara Sugar behind goals from Peter Moyo and Bereket Addisu as well as an unfortunate own goal from Metehara defender Addis Girma.

The first goal, coming six minutes from halftime, was the best of the lot: Andrew Sinkala took a throw a few yards up from the endline and sent it quickly to Liban Elmi, who neatly volleyed it back. Sinkala drove to the baseline and then sent a high, spinning chip towards the far post, where Moyo had curled behind the defense, freeing himself for an open header.

Addis Cup Group C

Metehara Sugar v Saint George, Sugar Stadium

Metehara 0 – St. George 3 (Peter Moyo 39, Addis Girma 47og, Bereket Addisu 88)

MoM: Moyo (8.5)

Attendance: 731. Referee: Zekarias Fega Girma.

January 25, 2012

Addis Cup Group C

As one young Kenyan moves on to more idyllic climes, another emerges as a force for Saint George as Oscar Kitavi provided assists on both goals, helping V brush aside Sidama Coffee in their second Addis Cup match.

Sidama Coffee Sporting Club v Saint George, Mebrat Hail Stadium

Sidama Coffee 0 – St. George 2 (Felix Sunzu 51, Andrew Sinkala 74)

MoM: Oscar Kitavi (8.7)

Attendance: 1106. Referee: Adisu Woldemarian.

January 28, 2012

All-African Challenge Group B

This is a game that may come back to haunt Saint George: progression in theAll-African Challenge was never going to be easy, so dropping points to a fellow Ethiopian side will make the task even more formidable. A combination of luck, bad judgment, and a moment of technical brilliance in stoppage time spelled the downfall for the visiting red and gold.

The luck came when Liban Elmi and Adugna Deyas collided in pursuit of a looping cross, allowing the rebound to fall to Addis Aman, who gently placed it into the empty net, giving the hosts an early lead.

Saint George would tie the game through Lencho Skibba, only to see poor composure take them back out of the match when the usually dependable Léandre Bizagwira picked up his second yellow card with twenty minutes to play.

The game looked destined to go down as a draw until, well into stoppage time, Awassa’s Haileyesus Abera spun on the ball in the box, sending a hard backheel past a helpless Samuel Degefe and into the path of Haile Abebe, who was able to hammer it home.

The last minute goal gave Awassa the win, sending the home fans into rapture and perhaps eliminating Saint George’s chance in the competition at the very outset.

African Challenge Group B

Awassa City v Saint George, Awassa Kenema Stadium

Awassa 2 (Addis Aman 15, Haile Abebe 90+1) – St. George 1 (Lencho Skibba 35)

MoM: Abdisalem Tesfaey (7.9) V’s Best: Liban Elmi (7.1)

Attendance: 968. Referee: Shukri Gudina.

January 31, 2012

Addis Cup Group C

About the only noteworthy occurrence in this game was Lencho Skibba missing a penalty shot with seven minutes to go: the goal would have been his fiftieth for Saint George, a milestone that will have to wait for another day.

Young Etehun Habte-Wold, whose versatility has clearly caught the eye of Tadesse Makonnen, opened his account with the senior side in this game, keeping his composure well when presented with an opportunity from a Felix Sunzu pass.

Addis Cup Group C

Saint George v Sidama Coffee Sporting Club, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 2 (Fitsum Kebede 13, Etehun Habte-Wold 22) – Sidama 0

MoM: Felix Sunzu (7.7)

Attendance: 2951. Referee: Tessema Bayisse.

OVERALL

A great month for the club, with the only blemish being the loss to Awassa. Saint George are—already—comfortably ahead in the league and look poised to handle the scheduling crunch of the various cup competitions more comfortably than in past years.

[mark wilson27]

A truly excellent story, I enjoy reading all of the 5m 1w series.

[Makonnen]

@Mark Wilson27, thanks! Much, much appreciated.

February 2, 2012

Red & Arabian Sea States Cup Quarterfinal, Leg 2

Down 3-1 after the first leg, it looked like the return engagement at Addis Ababa Stadium was a mere formality, with Saint George looking to exit the Red &Arabian Sea States Cup at the hands of Iranian side Zob-Ahan, but with their dignity well intact, having progressed farther than ever expected.

This was, however, the same situation the red and gold found themselves in against Zamelek in the previous round, and their dramatic comeback and eventual penalty shootout victory over the Egyptian giants did provide a glimmer of hope for the home side.

The tone was set early on when Lencho Skibba was able to force a diving save from Ahmad Mousavi, but the first real threat came in the eighth minute when Andrew Sinkala, chesting down a long pass from Peter Moyo and showing incredible craft to find the room to spin around Kamyar Tabatabaei, beat Mousavi to his near post.

It was a great goal, and brought the home side to within one, a situation that lasted under five minutes: Skibba made a curling run around the back of the defense, managing to return to an onside position just before Atakilti Mengesha’s pass found him fifteen yards from goal. Skibba’s momentum carried him past the Zob-Ahan defender, giving him enough space to slide the ball into the back of the net.

Suddenly, fifteen minutes into the game, we were tied on aggregate, which meant Saint George would go through on the basis of their away goal. But there was a lot of football left to play.

Ten minutes on, the visitors began to assert themselves with Mohammed Reza Khalatbari taking charge in midfield. His work paid off when a long pass found Hamid Yousefzadeh in stride, and the twenty-four year old striker’s shot sailed past the reach of Adugna Deyas and into the back of the net.

Saint George led 2-1 in the game, but were now down a goal on aggregate.

The Iranian visitors maintained pressure for the rest of the half, but seven minutes from the interval, V were able to catch them on the break when Mengesha sent a pass that neatly split two defenders, rolling into the path of a sprinting Skibba who was able again to neatly pass it beyond Mousavi’s reach.

With that goal, the two games between Saint George and Zob-Ahan were mirrors of each other: we were tied 4-4 on aggregate, with each team notching an away goal.

The second half started with controversy for the home side, with winger Behailu Assefa being shown a second yellow card for a collision with Khalatbari. It was a harsh decision and Samson Gawo heard it from the home crowd. If there was any controversy, however, it was for the earlier foul: here, Assefa was clearly at fault, and as soon as he hit the ground he was waving his arms in Gawo’s direction, attempting to delay the inevitable.

Even a man down, V’s fighting spirit showed through with Ethiopia captain Samson Mulegeta racing back behind Deyas to clear a shot from Yousefzadeh off the line at the hour mark.

Predictably, the red and gold’s opportunities were limited to counter-attacks and breakaways, but Mousavi was able to turn Skibba away from a narrow angle, denying him a hat-trick and effectively sending the game into extra time.

Moments after Gawo started the additional period, Skibba intercepted a pass inside Saint George’s end and fed Bereket Addisu down the right sideline. Addisu cut inside and played a neat one-two with George Mapfumo, his first touch carrying him well beyond Tabatabaei’s reach and allowing him to drive the ball into the far corner of the goal.

With Addisu’s strike, the stadium exploded: the question was, could the home side hang on to the lead for the next half-hour of play.

By the end, they were exhausted, a man down, with numerous players out of position, collapsing from the effort. But they held on, and in an athletic miracle reminiscent of Abebe Bikila at the Rome Olympics, would represent Ethiopia—and all of East Africa—in the semifinals against Saudi side Al-Shabab.

Saint George v Zob-Ahan Esfahan, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 4 (Andrew Sinkala 9, Lencho Skibba 13 38, Bereket Addisu 92) – Zob-Ahan 1 (Hamid Yousefzadeh 23) [saint George win 5-4 on aggregate]

MoM: Skibba (9.2)

Attendance: 4771. Referee: Samson Gawo.

February 4, 2012

Ethio Premiere

Depleted both in energy and rested, healthy bodies, V could only manage a scoreless draw against Defence SC in their return to league play. With celebrations of the earlier victory still continuing in the streets of Addis Ababa, the champions may perhaps be excused for their lackluster performance.

Defence Sports Club v Saint George, Addis Ababa Stadium

Defence SC 0 – St. George 0

MoM: Pierre Delorme (7.5)

Attendance: 3619. Referee: Tessema Bayisse.

February 6, 2012

Addis Cup Group C

Having already qualified from group play in the Addis Cup, Saint George used this game largely to rest key players and refocus on the month ahead. They still had enough quality to see off Metehara behind a tidy header from George Mapfumo and a well-taken penalty from Atakilti Mengesha.

Saint George v Metehara Sugar, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 2 (George Mapfumo 14, Atakilti Mengesha 39p) – Metehara 0

MoM: Wodemagne Mengestu (8.4)

Attendance: 2973. Referee: Shukri Gudina.

February 8, 2012

Addis Cup Group C

This was the second meeting with Defence SC in under a week and, despite total dominance from the red and gold, it looked destined to end in the same scoreless tie until, with eight minutes to go, Charles Tembo was able to nod home a corner kick.

Defence refused to give up, however, and veteran striker Geshaye Woldeamelek—released by Saint George before the season—danced through his old team’s defense before he was able to beat Mesfin Negash with a low shot that skipped off the ground and into the back of the net.

The goal was more meaningful personally than anything else, with both clubs already qualified into the next round in the Addis Cup.

Saint George v Defence Sports Club, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 1 (Charles Tembo 83) – Defence SC 1 (Geshaye Woldeamelek 85)

MoM: Andrew Sinkala (8.3)

Attendance: 4159. Referee: Ingida Teklearegay.

February 11, 2012

Africa Challenge Group B

With qualification still in doubt for Saint George, every game in the All-Africa Challenge is a must-win. Today, they were able to deliver against FAR Rabat, thanks to a marvelous back heel from Bereket Addisu that setup Lencho Skibba with a can’t-miss shot from seven yards out.

Fifteen year old Hamza Cherkaoui was the fan favorite of the day, with the home crowd cheering the cherub-faced outside defender every time he touched the ball.

Saint George v Forces Armées Royales, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 1 (Lencho Skibba 5) – FAR Rabat 0

MoM: Bereket Addisu (7.5)

Attendance: 3781. Referee: Atalay Dereje.

February 13, 2012

African Challenge Group B

The loss to Awassa in their opening match in All-Africa Challenge Group play may have prevented Saint George from progressing, but the rematch went much more closely to plan for the home side as first-half goals from teenager Dawiss Neguissie, Atakilti Mengesha, and defender Samuel Degefe made the second ninety minutes largely a formality.

Saint George v Awassa, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 3 (Dawiss Neguissie 12, Atakilti Mengesha 31, Samuel Degefe 45)– Awassa 1 (Samson Woldemarian 79)

MoM: Mengesha (8.2)

Attendance: 2696. Referee: Tessema Bayisse.

February 16, 2012

Ethio Premiere

A return to league play saw Saint George travel to play Sebeta City in a drab, drab match that was, from all results, as hard to watch as it was for either team to score.

The only goal of the contest came on the half-hour match when seventeen year old Bereket Woldeamelek scored his first senior goal for the red and gold with a hard drive from the edge of the box.

Sebeta City v Saint George, Sebeta City Stadium

Sebeta City 0 – St. George 1 (Bereket Woldeamelek 30)

MoM: Woldeamelek (7.5)

Attendance: 856. Referee: Yohannes Kayira.

February 18, 2012

Champions League Preliminary Round Leg One

The final score spoke of an easy victory for Saint George, but the game itself followed a different narrative entirely.

An early goal by Andrew Sinkala was offset by a rare error from Adugna Deyas when a fumbled cross fell at Paulo Simo’s feet, allowing Andorhina to climb level before the interval.

Sinkala’s second—a fantastic shot that curled into the far corner of the goal from a sharp angle—put Saint George in front and when Andorinha’s young midfielder, Screve de Almeida, was shown a second yellow card, the game looked likely to devolve into a rout.

However, Andorinha fought bravely, denying Sinkala a hat-trick and threatening Deyas on more than one occasion.

The scoring was capped a minute from the final whistle by promising youngster Etehun Habte-Wold, whose first season with Saint George is turning into quite a success.

Saint George v Andorinha Sport Club, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 3 (Andrew Sinkala 17 54, Etehun Habte-Wold 89) – Andorinha 1(Paulo Simo 33)

MoM: Sinkala (9.0)

Attendance: 6331. Referee: Jerome Damon.

February 20, 2012

African Challenge Group B

Saint George’s match with Raja Casablanca was perhaps the most controversial of the season, but not through anything that transpired on the field. Instead, the ongoing feud between Raja’s board and the competition organizers led to the Moroccan team fielding an eleven person squad with their reserve goalkeeper positioned in midfield.

The lack of substitutes would prove decisive, as when veteran defender Zakaria Matouni was forced to leave the field with a hamstring injury, no replacement was forthcoming.

Just before halftime, as he has done so many times before, Lencho Skibba was able to put the red and gold on his back, controlling the ball well on the edge of the box and lashing a shot around Zimbabwean goalkeeper Willard Manyatera in Raja’s goal.

Even a man down, the Moroccan side looked dangerous, and it took a superb performance from Pierre Delorme, who is emerging as a force on Saint George’s back line, to keep the dangerous Brian Umony in check despite a constant rain of high balls over the top aimed at the strong Ugandan striker.

Saint George v Raja Club Athletic, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 1 (Lencho Skibba 45+2) – Raja Casablanca 0

MoM: Skibba (8.3)

Attendance: 4492. Referee: Samson Gawo.

February 22, 2012

Ethio Premiere

A return to league play also saw a return to Saint George’s earlier form as five goals from five different players took them easily past Metehara Sugar.

The only downside for the champions was the news after the game that Andrew Sinkala—one of the goalscorers during the match—would miss the next six weeks with a pulled hamstring.

Saint George v Metehara Sugar, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 5 (Samson Mulugeta 9, Daniel Agonfar 24, Bereket Addisu 28, Felix Sunzu 34, Andrew Sinkala 38) – Metehara Sugar 0

MoM: Agonfar (9.2)

Attendance: 3923. Referee: Shukri Gudina.

February 23, 2012

Addis Cup Quarterfinal

Saint George was able to duplicate the scoreline of their prior game, dismantling Defence SC 5-0 in the quarterfinals of the Addis Cup. Perhaps the most important outcome of the match was the brace from Felix Sunzu, with three goals in two games providing an indication that the Zambian striker might be finding his legs in Ethiopia: if Sunzu is able to add his considerable skills to that of Bereket Addisu and Atakilti Mengesha, their future in international competitions may take a turn for the better.

Saint George v Defence Sports Club, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 5 (George Mapfumo 1, Atakilti Mengesha 45+2, Felix Sunzu 51 56, Pierre Delorme 84) – Defence SC 0

MoM: Sunzu (9.3)

Attendance: 4398. Referee: Asmare Zenebe.

February 25, 2012

African Challenge Group B

Angolan side GDR Libolo were given a rude welcome as a brace from Bereket Addisu and a long distance strike from Fitsum Kebede carried Saint George to victory in African Challenge group play.

Saint George v Grupo Desportivo e Recreativo do Libolo, Addis Ababa Stadium

St. George 3 (Fitsum Kebede 7, Bereket Addisu 48 87 – GDR Libolo 0

MoM: Addisu (8.8)

Attendance: 2891. Referee: Seyoum Haile Mariam.

February 27, 2012

African Challenge Group B

ES Tunis proved too much for Saint George, opening the scoring with- a lovely goal when a long diagonal cross from Harrison Afful was met by Jawad Ouaddouch’s head at the far post.

A second goal from ES Tunis proved the difference, as Saint George was only able to find the net through a Felix Sunzu volley just after halftime.

Espérance Sportive de Tunis v Saint George, Stade Olympique d’El Menzah

ES Tunis 2 (Jawad Ouaddouch 22, Oussama Darragi 43) – St. George 1 (Felix Sunzu 49)

MoM: Darragi (8.1) V’s Best: Bereket Woldeamelek (7.5)

Attendance: 14,393. Referee: Yohannes Kayira.

February 29, 2012

Ethio Premiere

While Saint George are running away with the league, there is a logjam emerging behind them with Muger Cement, Bahir Dar, Ethiopian Coffee, and Awassa all separated by only five points making V’s visit to Awassa Kenema Stadium all the more important.

The first half was a magnificently contested affair, with only a brilliant last-minute tackle from Kennedy Dube preventing Samson Woldemarian from putting the home side ahead.

Deep into stoppage time, however, Awassa’s Eshetu Jemberu shoved Dawiss Neguissie in the back inside the box, leaving Ingida Teklearegay no choice but to award the penalty and issue a yellow card to the Awassa defender. A limping Atakilti Mengesha converted the spot kick, sending V into halftime with a 1-0 lead.

The second half would prove an even tighter affair once Bereded Gawo was shown a second yellow card for arguing vociferously with Tekelaregay, forcing his team to play the final forty minutes at a one man disadvantage.

Adugna Deyas came to Saint George’s rescue again and again, denying Addisu Sefa and Mammo Dibaba repeatedly from near point blank range and leading the red and gold in a gutsy performance that cemented their standing as the best club in the land this season.

Awassa v Saint George, Awassa Kenema Stadium

Awassa 0 – St. George 1 (Atakilti Mengesha 45+3p)

MoM: Léandre Bizagwira (7.4)

Attendance: 1533. Referee: Ingida Teklearegay.

OVERALL

The victory over Zob Ahan was historic; the rest of the month merely excellent. With the league championship looking an easy certainty and with a successful defense of their City Cup assumed from the start of that competition, the questions that remain are whether V will be able to progress further in their international Cups.

[DeadPanda]

Still as good a read as ever, very much enjoying your work.

[Makonnen]

@DeadPanda, Thanks! I love the fact that folks are following V's adventures. I seem to get more comments here, too, which is quite a surprise.

March 3, 2012

Champions League Preliminary Round Leg Two

Andorinha Sport Club v Saint George, Andorinha Sport Club Stadium

After the emotional high of the historic victory against Zob-Ahan, the Saint George team that played Andorinha in the Champions League was sluggish and visibly fatigued. Luckily, the opponent today was of a decidedly lesser quality, and an early goal from Pierre Delorme on a corner was mirrored by a late score from George Mapfumo on a pretty pass from Etehun Habte-Wold.

The two goals were more than sufficient, and V easily qualified for the next round of play with the victory.

Andorinha 0 – St. George 2 (Pierre Delorme 9, George Mapfumo 74)

MoM: Mapfumo (8.2)

Attendance: 518. Referee: Abdul Ebrahim.

March 5, 2012

There are plenty of weaker sides left in the African Champions League, but instead Saint George draws the familiar name of ES Tunis in the competition, a matchup that has proven difficult for the Ethiopian side.

News from the Ethio-Italian Friendship Cup sees Sacilese storm into the final, routing a nine-man Bellaria by a final score of 5-2. Saint George face Casele later in the month to determine the other team to make the final.

March 7, 2012

Ethio Premiere

Saint George v Adama City, Addis Ababa Stadium

Two goals from Fitsum Kebede took Saint George past Adama. The scoreline flattered the visitors, with Adisu Skibba in the Adama goal providing several fantastic saves to deny Kebede his hat trick and to keep Lencho Skibba and Bereket Addisu off the scoresheet entirely.

St. George 2 (Fitsum Kebede 3 52) – Adama City 0

MoM: Kebede (9.1)

Attendance: 4973. Referee: Teshager Vassalo.

March 10, 2012

Ethio Premiere

Ethiopian Banks Sports Club v Saint George, Bankoch Stadium

The trip to Banks was unsurprising in the outcome, but the misery of Getu Teshome’s first half performance will be well-remembered: he was responsible for marking Léandre Bizagwira on an early corner, and let the tall Rwandan defender easily beat him for a powerful header; then Oscar Kitavi’s pass nutmegged Teshome to set Atakilti Mengesha free on goal; and finally, it was his blatant shove on Mengesha in the box that allowed the young striker to complete his brace from the penalty spot.

Banks SC 0 – St. George 3 (Léandre Bizagwira 7, Atakilti Mengesha 24 42p)

MoM: Mengesha (9.1)

Attendance: 1488. Referee: Mulalem Gebrekristos.

March 12, 2012

All-African Challenge Group B

Grupo Desportivo e Recreativo do Libolo v Saint George, Estádio Patrice Lumumba

Tadesse Makonnen’s decision to start young Zerihun Taddele in goal for today’s group match in the All-African Challenge may return to haunt him, as the teenage keeper looked overmatched in the first half, most notably on Johnson Macabá’s early strike which really should have, at the very least, been turned around the post for a corner.

V were able to even the score through a delicate chip from Semegnew Alemu which beat Libolo’s keeper João Neto and allowed Bereket Addisu to walk the ball into the back of the net.

In Taddele’s defense, there was nothing he–or anyone else–could have done against António da Silva’s thirty yard volley towards the end of the first half, a shot of true quality that also provided the final margin in a game that closed out with a very listless second half.

GDR Libolo 2 (Johnson Macabá 12, António da Silva 37) – St. George 1(Bereket Addisu 16)

MoM: Macabá (8.2) V’s Best: Mulalem Regassa (7.2)

Attendance: 180. Referee: Umeta Ibrahim.

March 14, 2012

Ethio Premiere

Saint George v Dedebit Football Club, Addis Ababa Stadium

Dedebit’s trip to Addis Ababa was a dire affair, a game marked by its lack of imagination and verve until, with twenty minutes to go, the champions seemed to suddenly come awake with two late goals carrying them to the victory. Of those, only Atakilti Mengesha’s was notable, featuring a quick move that brought him through three defenders and clear on goal.

St. George 2 (Atakilti Mengesha 73, Bereded Gawo 81) – Dedebit 0

MoM: Mengesha (8.1)

Attendance: 6306. Referee: Seyoum Haile Mariam.

March 17, 2012

African Champions League, First Round, First Leg

Saint George v Espérance Sportive de Tunis, Addis Ababa Stadium

Saint George welcomed ES Tunis to Addis Ababa for two games in three days, the first in the African Champions League and the second in the All-African Challenge.

Today’s game contained two critical moments. In the first, the home red and gold were already celebrating an early lead after Charles Tembo was able to send a deep cross beyond the reach of ES Tunis’ Honduran keeper, John Alston Bodden, when they heard Paul Odhiambo’s whistle waving off the goal for a foul in the box.

The second occurred with twenty minutes to go when Khaled Korbi received a second yellow card: even with the man advantage, though, the game looked destined to remain scoreless, setting up a tense return trip later in the month.

St. George 0 – ES Tunis 0

MoM: Peter Moyo (7.9)

Attendance: 8203. Referee: Paul Odhiambo.

March 19, 2012

African Challenge, Group B

Saint George v Espérance Sportive de Tunis, Addis Ababa Stadium

Perhaps inspired by the draw just two days prior, Saint George played an inspired first half against ES Tunis in the All-African Challenge. The opening period was marked by the prolonged excellence of Behailu Assefa, but neither Felix Sunzu nor Atakilti Mengesha were able to finish, despite being setup in fine positions from Assefa’s efforts.

After three halves of highly even soccer, the team from Tunis began to establish their superiority and when a Tunis free kick found Mohamed Trabelsi at the edge of the box, the teenage Tunisian striker nodded it on. Somehow, V left one of Tunis’ most dangerous players, Jawad Ouaddouch, alone and just barely onside. His first touch was a little heavy, but he was able to catch up with the ball just shy of the endline and, from an incredibly tight angle, sent it juts under Adugna Deyas’ dive.

The victory was well-deserved for the visitors, but the red and gold let the field with their heads high, having shown their worth across four quarters of play against a team the world-at-large holds in much higher regard.

St. George 0 – ES Tunis 1 (Jawad Ouaddouch 47)

MoM: Ouaddouch (8.1) V’s Best: Samuel Degefe (7.0)

Attendance: 4649. Referee: Atalay Dereje.

March 21, 2012

African Challenge, Group B

Raja Club Athletic v Saint George, Stade Mohamed V

Perhaps emboldened by their recent performances, Saint George turned in one of the surprises of the early play in the All African Challenge, thumping the Moroccan side Raja Casablanca in their home stadium.

Rabat began by dominating play, but a breakaway goal created by Bereket Addisu and finished by Fitsum Kebede opened the scoring and when Ishmael Ishmael pounced on a rebound that fell between Raja’s goalkeeper Younes Saïdi and their Nigerian defender Mick Ebeide to slide the ball across the line, you could almost see the dejection in the bodies of the home side.

Kebede would add his second of the day and young Alula Germa would finish the scoring with eight minutes to go in a manner much like Ishmael: a shot, a rebound, and a quick movement for an easy tap-in.

Raja Casablanca 0 – St. George 4 (Fitsum Kebede 13 60, Ishmael Ishmael 22, Alula Germa 82)

MoM: Kebede (9.1)

Attendance: 20,759. Referee: Virgalem Wigidrgis.

March 23, 2012

African Challenge, Group B

AS Forces Armées Royales v Saint George, Stade du Prince Moulay Abdallah

The back to back victories have put Saint George in a strong position: a victory today on the road in Morocco against FAR Rabat would seal progression out of the group stages of the All African Challenge. It will be difficult, however: Rabat features Angolan winger Bua and young Guatemalan defender Julio Orellana and, in Icelandic winger Carlo Alfredo Piatti, they have perhaps the quickest player V have seen all year.

The game is a struggle between Rabat’s superior talent on one hand and the opportunities offered Felix Sunzu on the other: in the first half hour, Sunzu elicits two fine saves from Mohamed Lamine Zemmamouche and wastes another two opportunities with balls struck straight at the Algerian keeper. Rabat, however, have been the stronger team, bossing the ball and crashing shots against the woodwork twice.

Finally, on the half-hour mark, Orellana is able to score on a simple header from a well-struck cross. It’s an efficient goal, but it marks the end of the scoring for the day. V’s defense holds stout and, unfortunately for the red and gold, Sunzu misses on two more open occasions, one with five minutes to go when a fantastic pass from Bereket Addisu has freed him just inside the six yard box.

Still, for all the fight, Saint George end the day on the shorts end of the score, and with no further games to play in the competition.

FAR Rabat 1 (Julio Orellana 31) – St. George 0

MoM: Orellana (8.7) V’s Best: Peter Moyo (7.1)

Attendance: 8018. Referee: Mulugeta Dubarish.

March 25, 2011

Ethio Premiere

Trans Ethiopia v Saint George, Tigray Stadium

An efficient if uninspired performance by Saint George kept their undefeated mark in the league alive as an early goal on a rebound by Bereded Gawo was enough to carry them past a Trans Ethiopia squad that squandered several chances to steal a point against the defending champions.

Trans Ethiopia 0 – St. George 1 (Bereded Gawo 9)

MoM: Gawo (8.2)

Attendance: 932. Referee: Ingida Teklearegay.

March 28, 2011

Ethio-Italian Friendship Cup Semifinal

Casale v Saint George, Degli Ulivi

In a surprise move, young Zimbabwean Kennedy Dube has been loaned out to Peruvian club Sporting Cristal on a long-term deal. While Saint George has refused to disclose the fee involved, it must have been significant for Tadesse Makonnen to let go of a player generally considered a rising star for the team.

Whether the news contributed to their performance in the semifinals of theEthio-Italian Friendship Cup against Casale, we’ll never know.

Both teams have fantastic chances in the first five minutes: a breakaway by Casale’s Christian Araboni left the defense well-beaten and Adugna Deyas out of position, but the shot spun wide of the post. Soon thereafter, Peter Moyo’s cross found Lencho Skibba inside the six yard box but his volley was sent right into Luca Pavarini’s chest in Casale’s goal.

A few minutes later, a nicely placed ball from Marco Cesaroni to Fabio Cusano sets the striker free from just inside the box, and he scores to the delight of the home crowd.

Despite several opportunities and, as frustratingly, two controversial no-calls from Virgalem Wigidrgis that could have given the Ethiopians an opportunity to tie the game from the penalty spot, the red and gold could not break through, and not only will they not defend their title in this competition, they won’t even be playing in the final.

Casale 1 (Fabio Cusano 8) – St. George 0

MoM: Simone Provenzano (7.4) V’s Best: Meseret Desta (7.1)

Attendance: 6675. Referee: Virgalem Wigidrgis.

March 31, 2012

African Champion’s League, First Round Second Leg

Espérance Sportive de Tunis v Saint George, Stade Olympique d’El Menzah

The scoreless draw in the first leg gave Saint George hope for the return engagement against ES Tunis in the African Champion’s League. It was, in the end, false hope, with V falling to a dominant display by the hosts, who noticeably reduced their attacking efforts after three first half goals.

The defeat takes Saint George out of the competition, more from poor luck in the draw than anything else: there are still plenty of teams involved that Saint George could defeat, ES Tunis are not one of them.

ES Tunis 3 (Oussama Darragi 17, Mohamed Trabelsi 28, Jawad Ouaddouch 35)– St. George 0 [ES Tunis win 30 on aggregate]

MoM: Trabelsi (8.3) V’s Best: Makonnen Mamo (6.9)

Attendance: 21,143. Referee: Houssem Azzouz.

Overall

Domestically, the season continues to be one for the ages, with V undefeated so far in the league. So far, so good.

But the international competition scene is nowhere near so rosy: in a single month, the team crashed out of the All African Challenge, the African Champion’s League, and the Ethio-Italian Friendship Cup. Not that Saint George were expected to go far in any of them but the last, but still it does show at least a slowing of form.

All, of course, would be forgiven if the miracle of their run in the Red & Arabian Sea States Cup continues in the semifinal matchup with Al-Shabab next month.