Mekelakeya aims for the top, Ethiopian Insurance faces Shashemene

Mekelakeya are the joint leaders with Ethiopia Nigd Bank but face Fasil on Thursday hoping to go top, as Ethiopian Insurance hosts Shashemene City.

The Ethiopia Premier League's 12th-week matches will start tomorrow at the Adama Science and Technology University - ASTU Stadium.

The first match of the week, and the day for that matter, will be the Ethiopian Insurance clash with Shashmene City.

Ethiopian Insurance competed for the title against eventual Champions St George, and runners-up Bahir Dar before finishing third last term.

This season, they have been a poor version with just 9 points and living dangerously in 13th position on the table.

Insurance have only won two from 11 league matches played so far this season.

They have also lost three matches consecutively to Ethiopia Nigd Bank, Dire Dawa Kenema and Sidama Bunna.

Their opponents, Shashmene City, are two places below them in 15th place with 7 points.

Shashmene City did find some joy last week when they won after 10 winless matches since their return to the top flight after 15 years.

Shashemene beat the bottom side, Hambericho Durame, 3 - 0.

Shashemene's woes got worse earlier in the week when their head coach, Zemariam Woldegiorgis, was banned for three months, due to his comments on league administration.

However, if Shashmene City do win this fixture, they will be out of the relegation zone and climb above Ethiopia Insurance.

The other match of the day is a serious cracker as Mekelakeya take on the mighty Fasil Kenema.

Mekelakeya have won eight of their 11 matches this season, losing just one game with two draws.

They are second on the log behind unlikely league leaders Ethiopia Nigd Bank on goal difference, with both clubs tied on the same number of points, 26.

Wubetu Abate's Fasil Kenema have only won five of 11 matches. They lost to St George in their last game before coming into this fixture, one of three defeats so far.

"The Emperors" are eight points behind their opponents, Mekelakeya, and they are fifth with 18 points.