Defence Force and Hadiya Hossana Battle to Stalemate in Addis Ababa

Defence Force ETH 0–0 Hadiya Hossana
Ethiopia Premier League | July 3, 2026

A tense, hard-fought encounter at the Addis Ababa Stadium ended goalless as Defence Force ETH and Hadiya Hossana cancelled each other out. Neither side could find the decisive breakthrough, despite several promising moments in the second half.

Match Overview

The first 45 minutes were characterised by cautious midfield battles and few clear-cut chances. Defence Force, playing in front of their vocal home support, pressed high but lacked precision in the final third. Hadiya Hossana, organised in a compact 4-4-2, stayed disciplined and hit on the counter, but their forwards were starved of service.

Key Moments

• 37th minute: Defence Force’s Yonas Getachew struck a curling free-kick just over the crossbar.
• 62nd minute: Hadiya Hossana’s Abel Mamo forced a sharp low save from goalkeeper Tekle Hailemariam.
• 81st minute: A goalmouth scramble saw Defence Force’s Fekadu Alemu have a shot cleared off the line.

Tactical Story

Both managers set up to avoid defeat first. Defence Force dominated possession (62%) but struggled to break down a deep-lying Hadiya defence. Hadiya’s strategy of soaking up pressure and breaking quickly almost worked twice, but their finishing lacked composure. The match turned into a midfield scrap, with neither goalkeeper truly tested beyond the moments listed.

Standout Players

• Tekle Hailemariam (Defence Force) – A calm, assured display with one vital save.
• Abel Mamo (Hadiya Hossana) – Energetic on the wing, created the visitors’ best chance.
• Gebremedhin Ayele (Defence Force) – Composed in central defence, won every aerial duel.

Table Implications

The point keeps Defence Force in eighth place, four points above the relegation zone. Hadiya Hossana remain in 12th, still searching for their first away win of the season. Both teams will be frustrated not to have taken more from a game that lacked quality in the final third.