Ethiopia and Zambia’s AFCON game ended with a draw.Although Zambia played for the next hour with a numerical advantage, they were unable to secure the win.

Collins Mbesuma broke the deadlock with a well-struck left-foot half-volley on the stroke of halftime, but the indefatigable Ethiopians got their reward when skipper Adane Girma lashed the equaliser home with a powerful shot that went in off the near post in the 65th minute.Both teams would have been disappointed with the result after squandering a host of chances.

Ethiopia striker Saladin Seid saw what appeared to be a goalbound shot bounce just in front of goal and over the bar in the 17th minute. Seid then missed another golden opportunity to put Ethiopia ahead when Kennedy Mweene saved his weak 25th minute penalty.

Matters then calmed for a few minutes before Tassew’s rush of blood earned him comparisons with West German Harald Schumacher’s infamous assault on Patrick Battiston of France in the 1982 World Cup semi-final.

During the lengthy stoppage for treatment, Ethiopian fans threw missiles including bottles, vuvuzelas and other objects on to the field in protest at Tassew’s red card.

Bishaw defended his keeper and said he should not have been sent off as “he was doing his job”.

His Zambia counterpart, Frenchman Herve Renard, disagreed .”I have looked at the replay and of course it was a sending off. He had to go. The rules are quite clear, you cannot fly into an opponent like that,” he told reporters.

By UP