Article from Ethiopian Herald:
The Ethiopian National Football Team advanced to the next phase of the 2016 African Nations championship, known as CHAN, qualifiers after a goalless tie with Kenya in Nairobi on Saturday. The national side are through due to the first leg 2-0 win advantage over Kenya at the Bahir Dar International Stadium a couple of weeks ago. Ethiopia qualify with a 2-0 aggregate result.
The Kenyan side, popularly called the Harambee Stars, had a missed penalty taken by Ali Abondo moments after the hour, but the Ethiopians stood strong and defended well. Kenya’s Coach Bobby Williamson later admitted to reporters that the missed penalty had affected his team.
The national side who advanced with a 2-0 first-leg advantage will play Burundi in the next round in the coming October. Burundi who defeated Djibouti 2-0 in the second leg and 2-1 in the first advanced into the next round 4-1 overall.
CHAN is a continental competition organized for locally-based players. The logic for only home-based stars can compete in the CHAN is to give local talent international exposure because many African national teams are dominated by foreign-based players. It is said that the last three championships (CHAN finals) had hit its intended target.
In the first leg the Ethiopian side won 2-0 with goals from Aschalew Girma and Gathoch Panom. The second goal was scored through penalty after Biniam Assefa was brought down in the box. Like it was in Nairobi last Saturday, the Kenyan side missed penalty taken by Kelvine Kimani in the second leg.
The federation has now a plan to make the Bahir Dar Stadium the venue of international big meets simply because they collected a huge sum from the gate fee: one million birr in the match between Ethiopia and Kenya.
Ethiopian Head Coach Yohanes Sahile was happy about the goalless tie. “We are now in the second and decisive stage. I am hopeful that my side will go through to the fourth CHAN finals beating Burundi in the next round,” Yohanes said.
He added: My boys accomplished what was expected from them. The play was a balanced one. Though we failed to turn them into the box, we have created clear scoring opportunities. We will rectify this fault in the match against Burundi.
Kenyan Head Coach Robert Williamson didn’t hide his disappointment. “We had an opportunity to go through but the missed penalty had affected our team. This is very disappointing,” he said.
If the national team succeed in winning over Burundi they will get a ticket for the Rwandan CHAN finals. If that is the case it will be the second time in a row. The national team attended for the first time in the third CHAN in South Africa two years ago. Former Head Coach Sewnet Bishaw guided the national side into that final.
The 4th CHAN will take place in Rwanda. A total of 42 countries are set to chase 15 places at the 2016 finals while Rwanda qualify automatically as hosts of the tournament that runs from 16 January to 7 February, 2016.
Elsewhere in Africa in Central-East Zone Uganda go through 4-1 on aggregate. Uganda skipper Hassan Wasswa Mawanda was thrilled but said they still have much to do. “I am happy to lead the team to the next round of the qualifiers. But we need to keep working hard,” Mawanda said after the game.
In other qualifiers, Zambia are through to the next phase after a tense 6-5 penalties victory over Namibia in Lusaka. Zambia levelled the tie at 2-2 through a Festus Mbewe header. Namibia went into the game against the 2009 CHAN bronze medallists Zambia in the Southern Zone of the championship for locally based players, with a 2-1 first-leg advantage.
Nenkavu Benyamen then gave Namibia the initiative with a goal just before half-time to make it 1-1 on the day and 2-3 on aggregate.
A Winston Kalengo goal on 71 minutes restored Zambia’s lead in Lusaka, making it 3-3 overall and taking the tie to a penalty shoot-out which the hosts won 6-5.
Zimbabwe go through 2-0 on aggregate while Mozambique advanced 9-1 on aggregate. The Lesotho and Botswana game ended on a 1-1 tie on aggregate. Lesotho go through on away goals rule. In the West A zone, Senegal were 1-nil winners away to The Gambia to secure a 4-1 aggregate win while Mauritania go through 4-1 overall.
In the North Zone, the second three-way round-robin group is set for August in Tunisia with the top two qualifying for the finals, the other five regions have adopted a two-leg knock-out system.
