Ekhaya FC endured another frustrating afternoon in the TNM Super League as they fell 2-1 away to Mafco FC, extending their winless run to three matches.
The opening half presented a three goal thriller before a fiery second half that saw the two sides going neck to neck untill the final whistle.
What happened
The game began in scrappy fashion, with both sides struggling to settle and maintain possession in the early exchanges.
The deadlock was broken in the 15th minute when Wakisa Kalinga rose highest to head home for Mafco, putting the hosts 1-0 up after a quarter of an hour.
Ekhaya responded strongly and found their equalizer just eight minutes later. Alick Lungu unleashed a thunderous strike from distance to level the score at 1-1 in the 23rd minute.
Moments earlier, the Cowboys thought they had gone ahead when Francis Black turned the ball into his own net, but the assistant’s flag cut short the celebrations for offside.
The first half, however, continued to be heated. A water break at the 35-minute mark was preceded by yellow cards for Kalinga and Ekhaya head coach Enos Chatama, reflecting the fiery nature of the contest. Soon after, Mafco restored their lead in the 43rd minute.
Once again, it was aerial weakness that undid the visitors as China Chirwa powered in a header to make it 2-1 just before the break.
The second half was a bruising affair, littered with fouls and stoppages. In the 63rd minute, both Chafewa and Yohane Malunga were booked in quick succession.
Ekhaya then made a triple substitution in an attempt to find a response, bringing on Levison Mnyenyembe, Emmanuel Saviel, and Stanley Billiat for Claver Chikwata, Wongani Kaponya, and Samuel Rukura. But despite the changes, the Cowboys still trailed 2-0 at that stage.
As the match ticked towards its conclusion, Mafco tightened up at the back. With five minutes left on the clock, they replaced forward Robert Rodwell with Awali Ali to shore up their defensive structure.
Time ran out for Ekhaya, who failed to carve out a decisive chance in the closing moments, slumping to a 2-1 defeat.
What It Means
The defeat leaves Ekhaya FC stuck on 26 points after 18 matches, sitting 6th in the standings. The result also extends their winless streak to three matches, putting pressure on the squad to rediscover form.
Coach’s Reaction
Head coach Enos Chatama expressed frustration after the match:
"A very bad game for the team. We lost it all in the first half. We conceded two goals which could have been avoided. It’s been like a syndrome that when we are down, we never really come back. We have to go back and see where we are going wrong."
Next Fixture
The Cowboys will look to bounce back when they host Songwe Border United next weekend, aiming to return to winning ways in front of their home supporters.
