Ethiopia Women 16-0 Seychelles Women — Ethiopia’s women’s national team produced one of the most emphatic results in their recent history on Wednesday, 30 September 2026, dismantling Seychelles Women 16-0 in an international friendly under the lights in Addis Ababa. The Lucy, as Ethiopia’s national sides are popularly known, were relentless from the first whistle, scoring at a rate of roughly one goal every six minutes and never allowing the islanders a moment of comfort. By the time the referee brought the contest to a close, the scoreboard told a story of total dominance.

Match Overview

The friendly, arranged as part of Ethiopia’s ongoing preparation programme for upcoming continental qualifiers, was expected to be one-sided on paper. In practice, it was even more decisive than most observers predicted. Ethiopia pressed high, moved the ball quickly through midfield, and attacked the Seychelles penalty area through both flanks and the central channel with equal effect.

Seychelles Women, who travelled with a small squad and a largely youthful group, defended in a deep block for long spells but struggled to cope with Ethiopia’s speed in transition. Whenever the hosts won the ball back in the middle third, they needed only two or three passes to create a shooting opportunity, and the Seychelles goalkeeper was by far the busiest player on the pitch.

• Fixture: Ethiopia Women vs Seychelles Women
• Competition: International Friendly
• Date and time: Wednesday, 30 September 2026, 20:00
• Final score: Ethiopia Women 16-0 Seychelles Women
• Half-time: Ethiopia Women 7-0 Seychelles Women

Key Moments

The tone was set inside the opening ten minutes. Ethiopia’s wide players pinned the Seychelles full-backs deep, and an early breakthrough from a low cross into the six-yard box settled any lingering nerves in the home side. Within the first half-hour the scoreboard had already begun to look lopsided, with the hosts converting chances from open play, set pieces and long-range efforts alike.

The second half brought no relief for the visitors. Ethiopia rotated their squad deliberately, sending on fresh legs to keep the intensity high, and the substitutes contributed directly to the scoreline almost immediately. Seychelles, to their credit, continued to try to play out from the back rather than simply clearing long, but that commitment to building possession repeatedly handed the ball back to Ethiopia in dangerous areas.

Perhaps the most telling statistic of the night was not the goals tally but the territorial one: Ethiopia spent the overwhelming majority of the match in the attacking third, and the Seychelles goalkeeper’s saves — several of them genuinely impressive — were the only reason the margin stayed within the teens.

Tactical Story

Ethiopia lined up in a flexible attacking shape that turned into a front four whenever possession was secured. The full-backs pushed aggressively into the half-spaces, the central midfielders rotated to create passing lanes through the middle, and the front players constantly swapped positions to drag the Seychelles defensive line out of shape.

Two features defined the contest:

• Counter-pressing: Ethiopia won the ball back within seconds of losing it, often inside the Seychelles half, which meant the visitors never had a chance to organise a settled defensive structure.
• Width and crossing: Repeated overlaps on both sides produced a steady stream of deliveries into the box, and Ethiopia’s attackers consistently arrived ahead of their markers.

Seychelles set up in a compact block and tried to defend the central corridor, but that choice left them exposed out wide. Once the first few crosses found their targets, the shape had to stretch, and the gaps through the middle opened accordingly. It is a familiar problem for developing women’s national teams facing a full-time, better-resourced opponent.

Standout Performers

Ethiopia’s success was a collective effort rather than the work of one individual. The centre-forward played the role of focal point superbly, holding the ball up and bringing others into play before adding her own goals to the tally. The two wide attackers were constant threats, combining direct running with intelligent final passes, while the attacking midfielder dictated the tempo from between the lines.

The captain and defensive midfield anchor deserves particular mention: she broke up the few Seychelles counter-attacks that materialised and recycled possession quickly, ensuring Ethiopia never lost momentum. At the back, the goalkeeper and centre-backs were spectators for long stretches, but they stayed concentrated and preserved the clean shee