ADDIS ABABA –Jimma Abajifar beat the African giants Al Ahli 1-0 in the return leg of CAF Champions league on Sunday that took place at the Addis Ababa Stadium. In the first leg held in the Egyptian city of Alexandria last week Friday Jimma Abajifar suffered a 2-0 defeat. Despite the win on home ground they (Jimma Abajifar) faced an early exit from the CAF Champion’s League with an aggregate 2-1 result.
Considering the big name and fame of the Egyptian side many Ethiopian football fans had the fear that Jima Abajifar would be disastrously defeated in the first away leg but they managed a close range 2-0 defeats.
To make things sensational, in the return leg they played extremely well and beat the unstoppable Al Ahli. Jimma Abajifar’s assistant coach Yusuf Ali at the end of the game said that his side played far better that the visitors. “Our young players created many scoring opportunities but unable to add one more goal to overcome the 2-0 deficit. Despite playing on a par with the most experienced club like Al Ahli the result is not considered terrible,” he said adding, “In football what matters most is winning the match. Facing defeat on home ground and in front of the national fans is frustrating.
We avoided that defeat but we failed to advance in to the next round. It is a pity but the good part is that we still remain in CAF contest. We will have one more chance to compete in the CAF Confederation Cup.” Jimma reached this stage beating the Djibouti Telecom side in the preliminary round in their first international match.
Jimma Abajifar succeeded in winning the Ethiopian Premier League, EPL, trophy in their debut. Winning the EPL trophy was not even expected by Jimma Abajifar last year. Jimma Abajifar are the first side to win title in the 75-year of the Ethiopian football club history in their debut.
They are also the second club to take the EPL side in the last 22 years from the regional sides. The EPL is a new structure based on home and away basis with clubs from different regions. As per this structure which was introduced in 1997/98 season, Hawassa City earned the trophy two times.
They were the first football club to kiss the EPL title from the regions St. George won a record 14 times while Electric snatched two times. The sad part is that Electric are currently playing in the second tier. Coffee and Dedebit won title once each. All St, George, Electric, Coffee and Dedbit belong to Addis Ababa. Of course, Dedebit changed their seat this season to Mekele.
The win of Jimma Abajifar also gave big name and fame for their former coach Gebremedhin Haile. That was the first big win for Gebre medhin in elite league as coach. But Gebre had fantastic achievements as a player.
He was ace striker for St. George and the national team. He got different titles while playing for St. George. As a national team striker his magnificent record was the win over Zimbabwe during the 15 East and Central African Championship, known as CECAFA Cup, held in Addis Ababa in December 1987, exactly 31 years ago. That was the first time the national side to take the CECAFA Cup.
In the last 31 years the national side lifted the CECAFA Cup four times. The departure of Gebremedhin in the wake of title win was a shock wave for Jimma . To make matters worse most of their best players transferred to Mekele Saba Inderta along with their coach Gebre. That added the misery over Jimma .
Despite all these, the 2-1 aggregate defeat at the hands of Al Ahli was not seen as disgrace. Many expressed their tough resistance to avoid wide margin defeat as a positive sign.
December 25/2018
BY SOLOMON BEKELE
