Ethiopia Super Cup: St. George plots hat-trick wins over Dedebit

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – (By Ermias Ashine) – Every club, except the top two Premier League clubs, in the Ethiopian league kicks off their new season in the coming Sunday. The big boys in the Premier League St George’s don’t start their campaign until next mid week because they have a task to complete against the newcomer Dedebit.

Hence, Saturday is the Super Cup, traditionally played on Sunday before the new Premier League season gets underway. It is viewed as the Premier League preamble and is usually contested between the previous season’s Premier League winners (the Ethiopian champions) and last season’s knock out winners. 

St. George won the Ethiopian Premier League last season. So in Saturday’s super cup they face Dedebit, the team who took the Knockout cup unfairly.

St. Georges have a good record against Dedebit in recent seasons. Counting all meetings last year they have played four times. St. George has won two, Dedebit one and they have drawn one game.

To do so, Dedebit will have to go one better than last game when they finished City Cup with 3-0 defeat by St. George, in a game that was most notable for all St. George youth players first class performance.

St. George’s meanwhile, will hope to continue their perfect start of the season with a follow up of their City Cup victory over Addis clubs.

Possible starting XI for St. George:

Kusbech, Alula, Samson, Williams, Degu, Yonatan, Michael, Mize, Mintesenot, Adane and Zume. 

Possible starting XI for Dedebit FC:

Michael, Girum, Getenet, Berhanu, Mohammed, Mulegeta, Isaac, Tadele, Getu, Temesgen and Getaneh.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: – Dedebit
Mulugeta Mehret has finished last season with a bang, proving to be his side’s inspiration in the Premier League.

St. George
Former Awassa Kenema striker Adane Girma has an uncanny knack of scoring against Dedebit and seems to reserve his best form for games against Dedebit. Turkman will be well aware of the danger he poses and Dedebit will need to contain the veteran if they are to get anything from Saturday’s match.

PREDICTION
Turkman will be hoping to start life in the Super cup with a win and his side will be buoyed by recent results against St. George. However, St. George’s have revenge on their minds and may just make it three wins and one draw out of five.

By Ermias Ashine-  (http://www.saintgeorgefc.com)