League champions earn free points

Ethiopia Premier League defending champions Commercial Bank of Ethiopia kicked off their season with free points after Wolkite forfeited.

Ethiopian Insurance and Arbaminch City played out a goalless draw in the day's second fixture.

CBE, also known as Ethiopia Nigd Bank, won their first title last season in dramatic and impressive fashion after a long title battle with Mechal Sports.

They start the season on top with three points and three goals awarded to them and it will be interesting to see whether they will kick on from there.

Mechal Sports also earned free points from their own fixture with Wolkite who seem destined for relegation.

The other team to watch will be Fasil Kenema who began their campaign with a 2-1 win over record champions St George.

There is, of course, Hawassa City who topped local rivals Sidama Coffee, and the Lakers have really strengthened their squad this season.

The acquisition of Ethiopia's brightest youth prodigy of the last two seasons, Yosef Tarekegn, underlines this.

Bahir Dar won against Wolwalo, which should give them the platform to mount an early title challenge, building on the progress they have made in the past two seasons.