Fasil Kenema “the Emperors” are the winners of the inaugural Ethiopian Super Cup after thrashing Jimma Aba Bunna 3-1 on Wednesday at Abebe Bikila Stadium, Addis Ababa.
Henok Gemtesa, Abulrahma Mubarak and Abubakhaer Desalegn were on target for Fasil while Ame Mohammed scored for Jimma.
In the third-playoff, Addis Ababa City beat Woldia City 9-8 on post-match penalties after 1-1 normal time stalemate. Hailu Eshetu scored for Addis with Yared Hussen netting the Woldia goal to settle the match 1-1 at full time.
The four clubs have already been promoted to the expanded 16-team 2016/17 Ethiopian Premier League.
The Ethiopian Football Federation (EFF) introduced the Super Cup in the 2015/16 season after restructuring the second tier league into zone A and B – winners from the two zones that comprise 16-teams each play the main cup while the runner-ups fight it out in the third-playoff.
Fasil were champions of zone A that covers Northern and Central Ethiopia, with Woldia Kenema finishing second; Smien Shew Debre Berhane and Aksum were relegated from the group to the National league, the third tier league. Jimma Aba Bunna ran away with zone B that covers Western, Southern and Eastern regions, with Addis Ababa City finishing runner-up; Addis Ababa University and Batu City faced the chop.
Ame Mohammed of Jimma walked away with the golden boot accolade after netting 21 goals, while Fasil’s Abulrahma Mubarak was crowned the most valuable player.
Golden glove went to Tekele Mariam Shanko of Addis with Fasil’s Zemariam Welde Giorgis being named the best Coach.
Two teams were relegated from EPL at the end of last season, and they have been replaced by the four to form a 16-team league. The league kicks off in October.
@bonfaceosano
