Wolkite and Ethiopian Insurance tango; Bahir Dar host Hadiya

Ethiopian Insurance take on Wolkite City while Bahir Dar face Hadiya Hossana when the Ethiopian Premier League returns on Thursday.

Both Week 22 encounters take place at the Dire Dawa International Stadium.

The first match is decisive for both sides as both been flirting with relegation all season.

Wolkite City and Ethiopian Insurance have not quite lived up to their reputations this season, winning only three matches each from 21.

However, both have been unbeaten in the last four league matches, winning one game each and drawing in the other three.

Ethiopian Insurance produced arguably the biggest upset of the season when they beat Mekelakeya 2-1 last week in their Week 21 clash with the title challengers.

Wolkite City, on the other hand, could only draw with their fellow relegation candidates, Shashmene City.

Wolkite's stats shows that they have been the worst attacking side (scoring 7 goals), but Mulugeta Mihret's team also managed to keep a clean sheet in the last four matches.

The two sides are separated by just one position with Ethiopian Insurance in 13th place on 19 points and Wolkite City in 14th position with 16 points.

Elsewhere, Bahir Dar City and Hadiya Hosaena will meet with the Waves of Tana unbeaten since the League fixtures moved to Dire Dawa.

Bahir Dar have inched their way closer to the League title challengers, and with 33 points they are just six points behind third- placed St George on 39, with Mekelakeya on 40, and 10 points behind Commercial Bank of Ethiopia.

So, they are seriously knocking on the door and, who knows, with so much still to play for they might just mount another title chase like last season when they finished second.

Hadiya Hosaena on the other hand lost 1-2 to Sidama Coffee after going undefeated for 18 weeks.

They have proven to be solid defensively but largely unproductive upfront, but they did win the reverse fixture at Adama Science and Technology University Stadium 1-0.