Saladin Said, pictured above scoring against Nigeria, who plays in the Egyptian Premier League, is one of three foreign-based players that are part of Ethiopia's 23-man squad for this month's African Nations Cup in South Africa. (Flickr)
Tadias Magazine
By Tadias Staff
Updated: Friday, January 4, 2013
New York (TADIAS) – The Walya Antelopes, Ethiopia’s national soccer team, have enlisted a trio of foreign-based Ethiopian players as part of the line-up for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations 2013, which is set to commence on January 19th in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Coach Sewnet Bishaw has chosen 28-year-old Swedish-born midfielder Yussuf Saleh and 21-year-old Ethiopian-American footballer Fuad Ibrahim, in addition to the team’s star striker Saladin Said who plays abroad for Wadi Degla in Egypt. Yussuf comes from the Swedish football club Syrianska, while Fuad is currently playing for the Minnesota Stars in the North American Soccer League.
The head coach Seyoum Kebede told Star Africa that he “has high hopes his youthful team have a bright future.”
Ethiopia is scheduled in group “C” and faces Zambia, Nigeria and Burkina Faso. The Walya’s opening match is against the defending champions Zambia on January 21st.
Here is the team:
Goalkeepers: Jemal Tassew (Coffee FC), Sisay Bancha (Dedebit), Zerihun Tadelle (Saint George)
Defenders: Degu Debebe, Biyadglign Eliase, Abebaw Butako, Alula Girma (all Saint George), Seyum Tesfaye, Birhanu Bogale, Aynalem Hailu (all Dedebit)
Midfielders: Asrat Megersa (EEPCO), Addis Hintsa, Behailu Asefa, Minyahel Teshome (all Dedebit), Yared Zinabu, Shimelese Bekele (both Saint George), Dawit Estifanose (Coffee FC), Yusuf Salah (Syrianska)
Forwards: Saladin Said (Wadi Degla), Adane Girma, Umed Ukuri (both Saint George), Getaneh Kebede (Dedebit), Fuad Ibrahim (Minnesota Stars).
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Related:
FEATURE-Soccer-Ethiopia’s ‘Walyas’ look to make up for lost time (Reuters)
Three Foreign-based Players Named in Ethiopia Squad (Reuters)
Nations Cup 2013: Ethiopia name squad (BBC)
Ethiopia Gearing up for Africa Cup 2013 (TADIAS)
In Pictures: Photographs of the Walya Antelopes – Ethiopia’s National Soccer Team
Video: Swedish-born midfielder Yussuf Saleh’s goal highlight – October 2012
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