AFCON 2013: Final squad known

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - Ethiopia announced the final 23-man team that will take part in the 2013 AFCON on Wednesday. The team is made up of 20 home based players and only 3 players who play abroad. Coach Sewnet Bishaw cut 3 players from the provisional squad that included 26 players. Two of the axed players are home based while the other plays his football in the US. It is recalled that the Coach trimmed down the previously 30-man preliminary team after dropping 5 players last week.

The players who were cut are the Goalkeeper Dereje Alemu (Sebeta city, Ethiopia), Defender Aklilu Ayenew (Dedebit, Ethiopia) and Forward Abdul Wali Aman (Washington University, USA).

Ethiopian league champions St. George FC and runners up Dedebit FC contributed the largest share of the players with 9 players from St. George and 8 from Dedebit included. Eth. Coffee and EEPCO are third and fourth with 1 and 2 players respectively.

The players are:

Goalkeepers: Jemal Tassew (Coffee, Ethiopia), Sisay Bancha (Dedebit, Ethiopia), Zerihun Tadele (St. George, Ethiopia)

Defenders: Degu Debebe (St. George, Ethiopia), Biadgelegn Elias (St. George, Ethiopia), Alula Girma (St. George, Ethiopia), Abebaw Butako (St. George, Ethiopia), Aynalem Hailu (Dedebit, Ethiopia), Seyoum Tesfaye (Dedebit, Ethiopia), Berhanu Bogale (Dedebit, Ethiopia)

Midfielders: Asrat Megersa (EEPCO, Ethiopia), Addis Hintsa (Dedebit, Ethiopia), Minyahil Teshome (Dedebit, Ethiopia), Behailu Assefa (Dedebit, Ethiopia), Yusuf Saleh (Syrianska, Sweden), Shimeles Bekele (St. George, Ethiopia), Yared Zinabu (St. George, Ethiopia), Dawit Estifanos (Coffee, Ethiopia)

Attackers: Saladin Said (Wadi Degla, Egypt), Getaneh Kebede (Dedebit, Ethiopia), Oumed Ukuri (St. George, Ethiopia), Adane Girma (St. George, Ethiopia), Fuad Ibrahim (Minnesota Stars, USA).