There were some outstanding players in the recently concluded 2023-24 season of the Ethiopian Premier League, with a look at what is arguably the league's best XI this season.
The newly promoted Commercial Bank of Ethiopia or CBE, otherwise known as Ethiopia Nigd Bank, emerged as the new champions.
Some teams were expected to challenge for the title this season but failed to reach their previous high standards including St George, Fasil City, Ethiopia Coffee and Bahir Dar City, who finished runners-up the previous season.
Two of the three promoted teams got relegated while CBE claimed the title and they owe this to the solid scouting and recruitment of some of the best talent.
There were other teams with some memorable performances that kept the league alive.
Hadiya Hosanna's 18-match unbeaten streak was impressive, as were Bahir Dar City's last 16 matches unbeaten.
Ethiopia Coffee's improvements under Netsanet Kibre, Yitagesu Endale's Adama City, and Wolkite City's last-gasp survival in the last week are some of the highlights of what has been a truly competitive and entertaining season.
The players were not left out, with some Stars living up to their billing, especially the expensively assembled core of the title challengers, CBE and Mechal Sports.
TOP SCORERS
However, many didn't sparkle, but despite failing to reach the numbers of some of the previous record goal scorers, there were three top scorers in the race for the Golden Boot.
Eritrean international striker Ali Suleiman finished as the top scorer in the league with 20 goals for Hawassa City despite the fact that the Lakers were mostly mid-table all season.
The Former Bahir Dar City player's phenomenal season at the Lakers, considering that he scored over half of the team's goals, shows that he is already primed for a move to Europe.
His partnership with Tafesse Tesfaye, in addition to his searing pace, was hard for opponents to deal with.
Mechal's inspirational Minyelu Wondimu was the second top scorer with 15 goals, leading their impressive title challenge with his key contributions in attack.
Wondimu has been one of the outstanding players in the league over the last four seasons but didn't always appear in the scorer's charts.
He was often credited with assists and his notable creativity helped to unlock defences, but this season he has shown his exceptional attacking qualities.
He led Mechal as captain, and it seemed like the armband gave him wings. He stepped up for every penalty and dispatched with aplomb, and his movement on and off the ball was different.
His teammates responded by returning the favour as he was often at the end of some creative exchange of passes initiated by him, hence his 25-goal return.
Amanuel Erbo of St George scored 13 goals to finish as the third-highest scorer playing in only his first season at the 16-time league champions.
His goalscoring stats are amazing because he didn't get into most of the starting lineups, but often came off the bench. His return of 13 goals is above a third of St George's overall team goals.
This season introduced a great mixture of emerging young talent alongside some experienced stars.
The Ethiopia Premier League revealed the nominees for the best players of the season two weeks before the end of the campaign, and they include Basiru Oumer, Shimeles Bekele, Kenean Markneh, Fetudin Jemal, Chernet Gugsa, Ali Suleiman and Binyam Fikre.
Here is the best XI of the 2023-24 season:
Goalkeeper:
Firew Getahun (Ethiopia Nigd Bank)
Defenders:
Fetudin Jemal (Ethiopia Nigd Bank)
Fikru Alemayehu (Adama City)
Suleiman Hamid (Ethiopia Nigd Bank)
Befikadu Alemayehu (Ethiopia Coffee)
Midfielders:
Basiru Oumer (Ethiopia Nigd Bank)
Shimeles Bekele (Mechal)
Binyan Ayten (Adama City)
Strikers:
Addis Gidey (Ethiopia Nigd Bank)
Kenean Markneh (Mechal)
Ali Suleiman (Hawassa City)
Head Coach:
Betselot Leulseged (Ethiopia Nigd Bank)
Honourable mentions:
There are some players not included in the best eleven, but who performed well this season:
Abdulkerim Worku (Ethiopia Coffee), Wasawa Geofery (Ethiopia Coffee), Mesfin Tafesse (Ethiopia Coffee), Amanuel Erbo (St George), Pepe Seido (who has more clean sheets than any other goalkeeper (Bahir Dar City), Million Solomon (Ethiopian Insurance), Yared Kassaye (Ethiopian Insurance), Temesgen Birhanu (Hadiya Hosanna), Alwenzie Nafiyan (Mechal), Binyam Genetu (Wolaitta Dicha), Abinet Demissie (Wolaitta Dicha), Binyam Fikru(Wolaitta Dicha).