 Nyorai kuenderera mberi kwechikamu chino - Munguva ye1962 African Nationals Cup, Mengistu akarova chibodzwa chimwe chete mumutambo wekupedzisira wekombe yechitatu yeAfrica vachipesana neEjipitori, apo Ethiopia yakakunda mukombe wavo mukuru chete kusvika parizvino. Ethiopia yakapedza seyakanyanya kurova zvibodzwa mumutambo iwoyo ine zvibodzwa zvina pazuva rekupedzisira. Akatanga neSaint-George SA muna 1957 uye akagara nekirabhu kwehupenyu hwake hwese. Mengistu akapihwa akawanda, anopa kutamba zvine hunyanzvi zvikwata muItalys Serie A neFrance, pamwe neEgypts El Zamalek, asi senge ngano yapfuura uye murairidzi Ydnekatchew, akaramba zvese zvinopihwa uye akagara muEthiopia akapfeka hunhu hweSaint George V pachifuva chake. Mengistu akapfeka nhamba 8 nokuda kwechikwata chake chose uye chikwata chenyika. Basa rake repasi rose rakatanga muna 1958 uye rakapera muna 1970, zvichitevera kuodzwa mwoyo mu7th African Nations mukombemuSudan, uko Ethiopia yakapedza iri pasi peboka ravo. Akakwanisa kurova zvibodzwa zvitatu, zvibodzwa zveEthiopia bedzi mumutambo iwoyo. Mengistu akatamba mamwe makore maviri neSaint George, achirega basa muna 1972. Iye ndiye wechinomwe anonyanya kurova zvibodzwa munhoroondo yeAfrican Cup of Nations aine zvibodzwa gumi. 