Two in Two for Malinda, But Focus on Ekhaya Turnaround
A calm head in a storm, midfielder Blessings Malinda is choosing belief over panic as Ekhaya FC look to steady their season.
With two goals in two matches, Malinda has been a bright spark in an otherwise slow start that has yielded just a single point, following a 2-1 defeat to Blue Eagles FC and a 1-1 home draw against Red Lions FC. But inside the camp, the message is clear: stay the course.
A slow start, not a finished story
“I have to encourage my fellow players,” Malinda said. “Starting bad does not mean everything is lost. Everything is not bad. everything comes in its own time. Everything will be alright.”
There’s no sense of alarm in his words, only patience and belief in the process.
“From now going forward, we need to work hard,” he added, pointing to the only remedy he believes in: effort and consistency.
Owning the moment
Malinda is equally clear on where responsibility lies when results falter.
“It is the responsibility of the players to follow the script. The coaches do not step into the pitch,” he said.
It’s a direct call for accountability within the squad. While acknowledging that criticism often focuses on mistakes, he insists the team must not lose sight of what is working.
“You will always find bad things to point at, but there are as well good things. We must continue with the good things.”
A personal edge in the next test
Looking ahead, Malinda faces a fixture layered with personal significance as he makes a return to his former club Civil Service United next Saturday.
“It is a tough match, at the same time an easy one,” he said. “It is where I’m coming from, they will not allow me to do have a good game. For me, I think it is not a difficult game.”
It’s a matchup that blends emotion with determination, fuel for a player already in form.
Keeping focus amid distractions
Off the pitch, there has been plenty happening, but Malinda is urging the group to stay locked in.
“A lot of things are happening off the pitch. I can only tell my fellow players that this must not get into our head. Our job is to work on the pitch.”
The focus, he insists, must remain on performances and results.
“A lot of things are happening, but our focus is on the team to start doing well.”
A call to the faithful
With the team searching for its first win, Malinda turned to the supporters.
“Our request to our supporters is not to lose hope on us,” he said. “We are their players, and we ask them to come to the stadium. Things will start to work well.”
For Ekhaya FC, the start hasn’t been ideal. But through Malinda’s voice, there’s a steady belief that the turnaround is not far away.
