Ekhaya Reserve’s struggles in the second round of the Finca ‘Mpira Uyake’ Southern Region Football Association (SRFA) Division One League continued on Sunday after they suffered a 3-1 defeat to Immigration FC at Chilomoni Stadium in Blantyre, leaving the Young Cowboys searching for their first victory in three matches.
The defeat marks another frustrating outing for the reserve side, whose second-round campaign has so far yielded just one draw and two losses, raising questions about their ability to maintain the consistency that has kept them among the league’s leading teams.
Immigration made their intentions clear from the opening whistle, catching Ekhaya off guard with an early breakthrough. Sparrow Msowoya put the hosts ahead just two minutes into the contest after cleverly chipping the Ekhaya goalkeeper.
The early goal gave Immigration confidence, but Ekhaya responded by pushing forward in search of an equaliser. The visitors created attacking opportunities and thought they had restored parity, only for their effort to be ruled out for offside.
However, their hopes of getting back into the game suffered another blow in the 21st minute when Immigration doubled their advantage. Haswell Chiwaya took advantage of poor communication in Ekhaya’s defence to find the back of the net from inside the box, putting the hosts in a commanding position.
Ekhaya continued to enjoy spells of possession and showed glimpses of attacking promise, but their inability to turn chances into goals proved costly. While the Young Cowboys searched for a way back into the contest, Immigration remained dangerous whenever they moved forward.
The hosts further punished Ekhaya’s defensive shortcomings in the 38th minute when Tonny Mbulu reacted quickest to a rebound after the goalkeeper failed to deal with a long-range effort. Mbulu made no mistake, extending Immigration’s lead to 3-0 and leaving Ekhaya with a mountain to climb.
Despite creating several opportunities, the Young Cowboys could not find a response before the interval and went into the break trailing by three goals.
Ekhaya head coach Russell Mwafulirwa made several changes at the start of the second half, hoping to inject fresh energy into his side and spark a comeback.
The substitutions gradually gave Ekhaya renewed attacking impetus as they stepped up their search for goals. Immigration, meanwhile, looked to protect their comfortable advantage and manage the game.
Ekhaya’s persistence finally paid off in the 81st minute when Deepay Banda pulled one back with a well-taken finish following a counter-attack, giving the visitors a glimmer of hope heading into the closing stages.
The goal injected urgency into Ekhaya’s play, and they intensified their pressure in search of a second goal. They registered several shots on target during five minutes of added time, but Immigration remained disciplined at the back to withstand the late pressure and preserve their two-goal advantage.
The result handed Immigration all three points, while Ekhaya were left to reflect on a performance in which defensive lapses and missed opportunities proved decisive.
Despite the setback, the Young Cowboys remain second on the league table with 35 points from 18 matches. Their record stands at 11 wins, two draws and five defeats, leaving them well placed in the standings but with work to do to rediscover their early-season form.
