Mechal Sport Club (Amharic: መከላከያ Mekelakeya), officially known as Defence Force Sport Club, is an Ethiopian professional football club based in the city of Addis Ababa. They play in the Betking Ethiopian Premier League, the first division of professional football in Ethiopia. The team, formerly named Army SC and Mechal SC, is the second most decorated club in Ethiopian football history behind Saint George.

History

Mekelakeya is historically the second most successful club in Ethiopian football history with 11 top division titles, with the most recent coming in 1989. Their dominance in the early years of Ethiopian football was cemented with six titles in the span of eight years from 1949 to 1956. After relative dormancy in the 1960s and 1970s, the club returned to its dominant ways in the 1980s by winning four titles. The club also has enjoyed success in the Ethiopian Cup, winning it 13 times. Defense beat Hawassa City 2–0 to win the 2015 Ethiopian Cup for a record 13th time and for the second time in three years.

Defense entered the 2017 CAF Confederation Cup as the runners-up in the 2016 Ethiopian Cup. They were knocked out of the tournament by Cameroonian side Yong Sports Academy 2–1 on aggregate in the preliminary round. On April 30, 2018, the club was involved in a match where they were awarded a goal that their opponents, Welwalo Adigrat University, disputed. An altercation followed that ultimately led to a member of the Welwalo coaching staff physically attacking the referee. In April 2021, the club was promoted back into the Ethiopian Premier League after a successful campaign in the second division.

Crest

  • logo

Stadium

The club plays its home matches at Addis Ababa Stadium.

Departments

Active departments

  • Women's Football Team
  • Football Team (U17)
  • Football Team (U20)

Honors

Domestic

1949, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1956, 1976, 1982, 1984, 1988, 1989

1946, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1975, 1982, 1990, 2006, 2013, 2015, 2018

African

1977 – First Round

2007 – First Round 2017 – Preliminary Round

1976 – Quarter-finals

Players

First-team squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.Pos.NationPlayer
No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK ETH Teklemariam Shanko 2 DF ETH Ibrahim Hussein 13 DF ETH Abebe Tilahun 16 DF ETH Adisu Tesfaye 3 DF ETH Alemneh Girma 10 DF ETH Mintesnot Kebede 2 DF ETH Shemeles Tegegn — MF ETH Kenean Markneh 8 MF ETH Amanuel Yohannes 0 MF ETH Amanuel Teshome 25 MF ETH Behaylu Girma 17 MF ETH Firew Solomon 19 MF ETH Samuel Taye(captain) — ETH Zacharias Fekre — ETH Hailu Girma — Solomon David — Al-Hassan Nuhu — Mohammed AdulahiNo. Pos. Nation Player — MF ETH Solomon Melkie 15 MF ETH Tewodros Tafesse — MF ETH Werkneh Dawit 24 FW ETH Eklesyas Girma 23 FW ETH Fikadu Alemu 27 FW ETH Fitsum Gebremariam — FW ETH Minyilu Wondimu 9 FW ETH Temesgen Gebrekidan — DF ETH Semere Aregaw — DF ETH Abnet Yigletu — GK ETH Yidnekachew Kidane Beyene — DF ETH Muluken Desalegn Degu — FW GHA Ernest BarfoMF ETH Samuel Saliso — ETH Dawit Mamo
1GKETHTeklemariam Shanko
2DFETHIbrahim Hussein
13DFETHAbebe Tilahun
16DFETHAdisu Tesfaye
3DFETHAlemneh Girma
10DFETHMintesnot Kebede
2DFETHShemeles Tegegn
MFETHKenean Markneh
8MFETHAmanuel Yohannes
0MFETHAmanuel Teshome
25MFETHBehaylu Girma
17MFETHFirew Solomon
19MFETHSamuel Taye(captain)
ETHZacharias Fekre
ETHHailu Girma
Solomon David
Al-Hassan Nuhu
Mohammed Adulahi
No.Pos.NationPlayer
MFETHSolomon Melkie
15MFETHTewodros Tafesse
MFETHWerkneh Dawit
24FWETHEklesyas Girma
23FWETHFikadu Alemu
27FWETHFitsum Gebremariam
FWETHMinyilu Wondimu
9FWETHTemesgen Gebrekidan
DFETHSemere Aregaw
DFETHAbnet Yigletu
GKETHYidnekachew Kidane Beyene
DFETHMuluken Desalegn Degu
FWGHAErnest Barfo
MFETHSamuel Saliso
ETHDawit Mamo

Former managers

Former players

External links

  • ethiofootball.com
  • soccerway.com