More Than a Bad Day at The Office as Ethiopia got Overwhelmed by Guinea

Ethiopia lost its third AFCON qualification group game to Guinea 2-0 at Morocco to put its hope of qualifying for the tournament that will take place in Ivory Coast in danger.
From the get go it was Guinea who managed to control the game and create the better chances. They threatened the Ethiopian goal repeatedly and could’ve had 4 or 5 goals in the first half alone.

Ethiopia’s disorganized defensive structure and the tendency to carelessly give away the ball in their own third added with the oppopnent’s relentless pressing meant that Guinea were able to muster high quality chances.

The efforts of Guinea were rewarded in the 39th minute as Francois Kamano’s right footed shot from the left side of the box found the back of the net after he was set up by Valencia man Ilaix Moriba.

The teams went into half time with Guinea 1-0 up and with 14 attempts on goal to Ethiopia’s 1 despite The Walias having most of the possession.

At half time Coach Webetu Abate made two substitutions as Oumed Oukri replaced Benyema Belay and Tafesse Solomon came on for Gatoch Panom.

Ethiopia improved in a few aspects in the second half especially in going forward and being more proactive. Ramadan Yesuf was particularly a constant threat on the left side.

Despite the positive improvements upfront the back line was still susceptible and in the 73rd minute Guinea got the goal that all but confirmed the victory. Following a fast break Morlaye Sylla released Mohammed Bayo whose right footed shot sealed the win.

After the game Webetu described the loss as one of those bad days and said his defense was disorganized apart from the keeper.

This looks like an oversimplification of a problem that has been evident in his side since he took over. His team always tends to have possession with little to no end product. There is still lack of creativity both centrally and out on the wings. And while notable absentees didn’t help there is still lack of a reliable goal scorer.

This is a team issue that needs to be addressed both on individual, club and national team level. The Guinea game was a reminder of how far behind our football lags and it was a painful watch for anyone who cares about Ethiopian football.

Ethiopian Premier League

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Round 1
20 Sep 2024 00:00
CBE
-
-
BUN
20 Sep 2024 16:00
MEK
0
1
HOS
20 Sep 2024 19:00
AMK
1
2
DIR
21 Sep 2024 19:00
WAU
0
1
BDR
22 Sep 2024 16:00
ELE
2
3
WOD
22 Sep 2024 19:00
KDG
1
2
FSK
23 Sep 2024 16:00
ADA
2
3
SHI
23 Sep 2024 19:00
SID
0
1
HAW
Round 2
25 Sep 2024 16:00
EIC
0
0
AMK
26 Sep 2024 16:00
FSK
1
1
MEK
26 Sep 2024 19:00
BUN
0
0
ELE
27 Sep 2024 09:30
HAW
1
1
SHI
27 Sep 2024 16:00
KDG
2
1
WAU
27 Sep 2024 19:00
BDR
0
1
ADA
28 Sep 2024 16:00
MEC
1
2
SID
28 Sep 2024 19:00
DIR
4
1
WOD
Round 3
30 Sep 2024 16:00
KDG
0
1
MEK
30 Sep 2024 19:00
EIC
0
0
ELE
1 Oct 2024 16:00
FSK
0
0
SHI
1 Oct 2024 19:00
BDR
2
0
HOS
2 Oct 2024 16:00
BUN
3
1
HAW
2 Oct 2024 19:00
MEC
3
1
WOD
3 Oct 2024 16:00
CBE
3
1
AMK
3 Oct 2024 19:00
WAU
0
1
SID
Round 4
19 Oct 2024 16:00
HOS
1
2
HAW
19 Oct 2024 19:00
MEK
1
1
MEC
20 Oct 2024 16:00
SHI
1
1
DIR
20 Oct 2024 19:00
CBE
2
3
KDG
21 Oct 2024 16:00
WOD
2
1
BUN
21 Oct 2024 19:00
ADA
1
1
FSK
22 Oct 2024 16:00
ELE
1
0
BDR
22 Oct 2024 19:00
SID
1
0
EIC
Round 5
24 Oct 2024 16:00
MEK
3
2
DIR
24 Oct 2024 19:00
CBE
1
1
FSK
25 Oct 2024 16:00
WAU
0
3
MEC
25 Oct 2024 19:00
ADA
2
0
HAW
26 Oct 2024 09:30
AMK
1
0
BDR
26 Oct 2024 16:00
KDG
0
0
EIC
26 Oct 2024 19:00
SID
2
0
BUN
27 Oct 2024 16:00
ELE
0
0
HOS
27 Oct 2024 21:09
WOD
1
0
SHI
Round 6
29 Oct 2024 16:00
EIC
1
0
WAU
29 Oct 2024 19:00
FSK
0
1
AMK
30 Oct 2024 16:00
BDR
2
0
SID
30 Oct 2024 19:00
HOS
0
1
WOD
31 Oct 2024 16:00
MEC
1
0
CBE
31 Oct 2024 19:00
BUN
2
0
MEK
1 Nov 2024 16:00
DIR
1
1
ADA
1 Nov 2024 19:00
HAW
1
2
ELE
Round 7
3 Nov 2024 16:00
BDR
0
0
WOD
3 Nov 2024 19:00
KDG
1
0
AMK
4 Nov 2024 16:00
MEC
2
0
ADA
4 Nov 2024 19:00
EIC
4
0
MEK
5 Nov 2024 16:00
FSK
2
3
ELE
5 Nov 2024 19:00
DIR
0
1
HOS
5 Nov 2024 19:00
BUN
1
1
SHI
6 Nov 2024 19:00
WAU
1
2
CBE
Round 8
23 Nov 2024 16:00
AMK
2
0
WAU
23 Nov 2024 19:30
HAW
0
1
DIR
24 Nov 2024 16:00
SID
0
0
KDG
24 Nov 2024 19:00
ADA
0
2
EIC
25 Nov 2024 16:00
ELE
1
1
MEC
26 Nov 2024 09:30
HOS
1
0
BUN
26 Nov 2024 16:00
WOD
1
1
FSK
26 Nov 2024 19:00
SHI
0
2
BDR
Round 9
28 Nov 2024 16:00
CBE
1
1
EIC
28 Nov 2024 19:00
ELE
0
0
DIR
29 Nov 2024 16:00
ADA
2
1
BUN
29 Nov 2024 19:00
AMK
1
3
MEC
30 Nov 2024 16:00
SID
0
1
FSK
30 Nov 2024 19:00
MEK
1
1
BDR
1 Dec 2024 16:00
WOD
1
1
HAW
1 Dec 2024 19:00
SHI
0
1
HOS
Round 10
3 Dec 2024 16:00
DIR
3
1
SID
3 Dec 2024 19:00
MEC
4
3
KDG
4 Dec 2024 16:00
BUN
2
0
AMK
4 Dec 2024 19:00
BDR
3
0
CBE
5 Dec 2024 16:00
HAW
0
0
MEK
5 Dec 2024 19:00
FSK
1
0
WAU
6 Dec 2024 16:00
SHI
0
0
ELE
6 Dec 2024 19:00
HOS
2
0
ADA
Round 11
8 Dec 2024 16:00
BDR
0
0
KDG
8 Dec 2024 16:00
DIR
0
0
CBE
8 Dec 2024 19:00
HAW
0
1
AMK
9 Dec 2024 19:00
HOS
3
2
SID
10 Dec 2024 16:00
WOD
2
2
ADA
10 Dec 2024 19:00
BUN
0
0
WAU
11 Dec 2024 16:00
MEC
0
0
EIC
11 Dec 2024 19:00
SHI
1
0
MEK
Round 12
13 Dec 2024 16:00
AMK
-
-
SID
13 Dec 2024 19:00
FSK
-
-
HAW
14 Dec 2024 16:00
WAU
-
-
ADA
14 Dec 2024 19:00
KDG
-
-
ELE
15 Dec 2024 09:30
MEC
-
-
HOS
15 Dec 2024 19:00
CBE
-
-
MEK
16 Dec 2024 16:00
BDR
-
-
DIR
16 Dec 2024 19:00
EIC
-
-
SHI
Round 13
18 Dec 2024 19:00
ADA
-
-
KDG
19 Dec 2024 16:00
MEK
-
-
WAU
19 Dec 2024 19:00
SID
-
-
CBE
20 Dec 2024 16:00
SHI
-
-
MEC
20 Dec 2024 19:00
HOS
-
-
FSK
21 Dec 2024 09:30
WOD
-
-
EIC
21 Dec 2024 16:00
HAW
-
-
BDR
21 Dec 2024 19:00
DIR
-
-
BUN

Standing Table

#
Club
P
W
D
L
Pt
1
10
6
3
1
21
2
10
6
1
3
19
3
11
5
3
3
18
4
10
4
4
2
16
5
10
4
4
2
16
6
10
3
6
1
15
7
9
3
5
1
14
8
10
3
5
2
14
9
10
4
1
5
13
10
10
4
1
5
13
11
10
3
3
4
12
12
9
3
3
3
12
13
10
3
3
4
12
14
10
2
5
3
11
15
10
2
4
4
10
16
8
2
3
3
9
17
10
2
3
5
9
18
9
0
1
8
1

Top scorers chart

#
Player
Played
Goals
1
Diredawa Ketema
9
6
2
Mekele 70 Enderta
8
5
3
Diredawa Ketema
9
5
4
7
5
5
Ethiopia Bunna
10
5
6
Hawassa Ketema
10
4
7
Adama Ketema
10
4
8
Kidus Giorgis
9
4
9
Wolaitta Dicha
10
4
10
Adama Ketema
10
4

2024/25 Competitions

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CAF Champions League
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CAF Confederation Cup
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Ethiopian Cup
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Ethiopian Higher League
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Ethiopian League 1
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Ethiopian Premier League
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Ethiopian U-20 Premier League
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Ethiopian Women's Higher League
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Ethiopian Womens Premier League