Football Renaissance

By Girma Feyissa

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – The times seem to be a moment of rebirth for Ethiopian football. Showcasing this are the recent results of the Ethiopian national football teams. In what seems to be a historic turn of events, the teams have brought joy to football fans that were looking forward to such a day.

The Ethiopian women footballers are keeping themselves alive in the Africa Cup of Nations. The match between the Ethiopian women’s squad and their Tanzanian rivals was transmitted through radio from Dar es Salaam, the Tanzanian capital. The radio commentator, who seemed carried away with his own emotions and lacked brevity and precision in describing the actions on the pitch, had kept listeners in suspense for quite a long while.

The Ethiopian squad was described as playing an attacking style of football and had created many chances to score goals. But, it was Birtukan G. Selassie’s vital score that saved the day to give a sigh of relief and an opportunity to dream about the future. That moment erupted with the joy and excitement of millions of football fans.

The victory can be taken as double-edged. This is a squad that was not accorded much notice for over a decade. The young girls, therefore, had to climb up the ladder to face the challenge of proving their worth to the officials of the Ethiopian Football Federation.

The other challenge was, of course, to try to win the match and earn a place among their African sisters, wearing their tricoloured jerseys. Both objectives were accomplished convincingly. It is only hoped that their victory will inspire them to take on the forthcoming challenges and make history.

Speaking of history, the result is historic for women of the nation, as they are not given due respect and recognition, despite their share of the population of the country. Read more.