Ethiopian woman disappears

Ethiopia 's Semira Kemal (left) went home without her team-mate

The Ethiopian team at the African Women's Championship left for home without their 18-year-old goalkeeper Alemnesh Abebe.

Abebe is being sought by the South African police after leaving her team-mates last Thursday.

Abebe, blamed for the team's crushing 4-0 defeat by Nigeria in last Tuesday's semi-final, absconded while out with her colleagues on a shopping trip in Johannesburg.

Her absence from the team meant Ethiopia had to use an outfield player, Dagmawit Mekonnen, in their line-up for Friday's third place match against Ghana.

Security officials confirmed on Monday they were still searching for her, after she was allegedly picked up by a group of Ethiopians in what appeared to be a pre-arranged move.

South African Football Association officials say police have the number plate of the car into which she climbed and are investigating the disappearance.

Ethiopia lost 6-5 on penalties to Ghana after a goalless draw in the bronze medal match.

Abebaw Kelkay Alemayehu, secretary-general of the Ethiopian Football Association, confirmed the disappearance and said he was mystified by Abebe's behaviour.

It is not the first time that an Ethiopian footballer has absconded from the national team during an international assignment.

In 1992, all but 11 members of a delegation for a World Cup qualifier in Morocco abandoned the side during a stop over in Rome.

That left the national side with just nine players and they had to use two coaches in their line-up for the match in Casablanca.

The game was eventually abandoned, with Morocco winning 5-0.