Djibouti – Walias of Ethiopia demolished the Shoremen of the Red Sea of Djibouti 5-1 in the first leg match of Total African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier here today.

The two teams will play the return leg match in the southern Ethiopian city of Hawassa on July 23rd

The Ethiopian Premier League top scorer Getaneh Kebede of Dedebit scored four goals and  his teammate Mulualem Mesfin added one for Ethiopia

 

The 2018 African Nations Championship, which is now in its 5th edition, is a biennial football tournament organized by the Confederation of Africa Football (CAF). Unlike the African Cup of Nations, the competing national teams must be composed of players playing in their domestic leagues. 

DR Congo are the defending champions. First time host country Kenya will get an automatic ticket to participate. 

Ethiopia’s Record

Ethiopia’s record in CHAN is very disappointing. The team didn’t make it to the tournament final until the 3rd edition.

2014 South Africa: Walias finished last in their group after losing all 3 matches, conceding 4 goals and scoring none: Libya 0-2; Congo 0-1 and Ghana 0-1. 

2016 Rwanda: Once again, Ethiopia finished last in its group. Lost opening game 3-0 to eventual winners DR Congo 3-0, followed by a scoreless tie with Cameroon before finishing with a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Angola.

In the two tournaments that Ethiopia took part in, the Walias played 6 matches and the results are quite appalling:  Victory: 0 – Draw: 1- Loss: 5 – Goals Scored 1 – Goals conceded : 9 

Ethiopian national team full squad:

Goal Keeper: Jemal Tassew (Jimma Aba Bunna), Samson Assefa (Dire Dawa City), Lealem Birhanu (Sidama Coffee)

Defense: Abduelkarim Mahamed (Ethiopia Coffee), Anteneh Tesfaye (Sidama Coffee), Mujib Kasim, Tesfaye Bekele (Adama City), Desta Yohannes (Hawassa City), Amesalu Tilahun (Fasil City)

Midfields: Shimekit Gugisa (Dedebit), Mulualem Mesfin (Dedebit), Gaddissa Mebrate (Hawasa City), Biruk Kalbore (Adama City)

Strikers: Getaneh Kebede (Dedebit), Addis Gidey (Sidama Coffee), Abdulkarim Mubarek (Fasil City), Ame Mohammed (Jimma Aba Bunna)