Away Teams Win All Five Sunday Games as the Ethiopian Premier League Opens

Home teams had a bad Sunday in the Ethiopian Premier League. Five clubs played at home on October 11, and all five lost, Soccer Ethiopia reported.

Those games closed the first week of the 2026/27 season, which began on Friday, October 9. Of the 18 clubs, six won their first game, six drew and six lost. Ethiopia Medhin is at the top of the early table on goal difference after a 2-0 win in Arba Minch.

Late Goals in Addis Ababa and Hawassa

At Addis Ababa Stadium, Sheger Ketema beat Ethiopia Bunna 1-0. Ethiopia Bunna attacked more in the second half but could not score. Then Kaleb Beyene won the game for Sheger with a free kick in the last minutes, according to Soccer Ethiopia.

Addis Ababa Stadium, where Sheger Ketema beat Ethiopia Bunna on Sunday, seen from the street in Addis Ababa, August 2008 (Vob08 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0) [file photo]

In Hawassa, Mechal beat Hawassa Ketema 1-0 at Hawassa University Stadium. Biniam Teklu scored the only goal on a counterattack in the 83rd minute. Bahir Dar Ketema won by the same score in Hosaena against Hadiya Hossana. Anteneh Tefera scored there one minute before halftime from a pass by Asrat Tunjo.

Ethiopia Medhin had the biggest win of the day. It beat Gamo Chencha, one of the two newly promoted clubs, 2-0 in Arba Minch. Walid Usman and Benjamin Kote scored the goals.

A Hard Start for the Champions

The champions, Sidama Bunna, lost 1-0 to the club of the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia (CBE) at Hawassa University Stadium. Henok Ermias scored for the bank’s club two minutes before halftime.

Sidama also lost two key players to injury in the first 15 minutes. Striker Mesfin Tafesse left the field in the third minute. Yared Bayeh, the captain and central defender, followed in the 13th minute.

On Monday, Soccer Ethiopia reported that both players have muscle strains and may miss the club’s next big game. Sidama hosts Al Hilal of Sudan in the second qualifying round of the CAF (Confederation of African Football) Champions League. The game is at Dire Dawa Stadium on Sunday, October 18. The club’s medical staff will try to have both players ready in time, the outlet said.

Soccer Ethiopia also reported on Monday that Sidama’s Ugandan midfielder, Khalid Aucho, has announced his retirement from international football. The former Uganda captain played 77 games for his country after his first in 2013. He played at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2017, 2019 and 2025. He joined Sidama from Singida Black Stars before this season.

Draws on the First Two Days

The season opened on Friday at Addis Ababa Stadium, where Adama Ketema beat Ethio Electric 1-0. Biniam Ayten scored from the penalty spot after a foul on Abubeker Sane. In Halaba, the other new club, Halaba Ketema, led Welwalo Adigrat University after a header by Shimeket Gugsa. Carlos Damtew then scored a penalty in added time to make it 1-1.

On Saturday, Saint George drew 1-1 with Negelle Arsi in Addis Ababa. Natnael Daniel, who joined Saint George this season, headed the first goal from a cross by Yared Yemane. Dawit Tefera equalized for Negelle Arsi 11 minutes later. Wolaitta Dicha and Fasil Kenema then played a 0-0 draw in Halaba.

The second week begins on Friday. Next weekend, Saint George hosts Ethiopia Bunna in the Addis Ababa derby.