International Build Up: Ethiopia 0-0 Sierra Leone
A ten man Sierra Leone side played gallantly to hold hosts Ethiopia during a goal-less stalemate at the Bahir Dar International Stadium on Thursday, under rain drizzles behind closed doors.
The hosts enjoyed the lion’s share of the ball possession but penetrating the opposition in the final third remained their major under-doing.
Ethiopia had a better first half with a couple of goal scoring opportunities created not put home.
Seraph Referee, Shmekt Gugsa and Emmanuel Gebremichael possessed the ball well but found no breakthrough.
In the second half, Sierra Leone returned a far much better side with a good balance of offense and defensive strategy.
Iraq based striker Sheka Fofanah hit the post and missed a one against one incident with goalkeeper Shanko Teklemariam as the West Africans staged an improved showing in the second stanza.
Regionalliga West side Rot Weiss Ahlen defender Daniel Francis was the other foreign based player in the Sierra Leone side dominated by home players.
Ethiopia nearly found the winner in the closing minutes but the Leon star defence remained water tight.
The tempo of the game rose and tempers flared in the final two minutes with the visitors reduced to ten men after the sending off of Lemi Nikuse for unsporting conduct.
By the end of referee Lemi Nigussie’s final whistle, both sides smiled with a point in the bag ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2022 qualifiers.
This was Sierra Leone’s first match since June 15th during the 1-0 win at the Stade General Lansana Conte de Nongo to qualify for their first ever Africa Cup of Nations.
Ethiopia will play another international build up against Uganda Cranes on Sunday, 29th August 2021.
Wobetu Abate, head coach of Ethiopia is preparing for matches in the FIFA World Cup 2022 qualifiers against Zimbabwe and Ghana.
Match officials:
- Referee: Lemi Nigussie
- Assistant Referee 1: Yibekal Desalegn
- Assistant Referee 2: Kinde Mussie
- Fourth official: Haileyesus Bazezew