Ekhaya FC Hit Kamuzu Barracks for Three at Mpira Stadium
Ekhaya FC made it two wins in a row in the TNM Super League of Malawi following their 3-0 triumph over Kamuzu Barracks on Wednesday afternoon at Mpira Stadium.
From the spot, Emmanuel Saviel scored the only goal of the first half after winning a penalty. The striker then added a second just a few minutes after the restart, a goal quickly followed by James Lumbe’s close-range tap-in.
What Happened
Although coming off a defeat, Kamuzu Barracks arrived with a record of being more effective on the road, having won four times away compared to only two victories at home.
Nonetheless, it was the hosts who got off to a flying start, enjoying decent spells of possession and creating a few early openings.
Around the first quarter-hour mark, the visitors, the 2016 champions, began to find their rhythm and almost took the lead, only to be denied by the woodwork after a fine curling effort.
From then on, the game turned into an open contest, with both sides exchanging spells of possession but lacking the sharpness needed in the final third.
Coach Enos Chatama then made his first change, replacing Blessings Malinda with James Lumbe, who went on to unlock the visitors’ backline.
The youngster immediately got involved in the move that saw Mnyenyembe win a penalty, which Saviel calmly converted to give Ekhaya a deserved lead.
From there, Chatama’s boys displayed some scintillating football, constantly knocking on the door until halftime.
After the restart, Ekhaya looked even sharper, and it was no surprise when Saviel doubled the advantage in the 53rd minute, this time tapping home a well-worked team move involving Fastani Mwansambo, Mnyenyembe, and Lumbe.
Moments later, Lumbe turned scorer, making it 3-0 with another neat tap-in after a fine assist from Saviel.
From then on, it was a question of how many more The Cowboys would score, but some poor finishing saw them settle for a convincing 3-0 win.
Player of the Match – Emmanuel Saviel
The striker was voted Player of the Match by both Union Building Contractors and the TNM Super League of Malawi. He finished the tie with two goals and one assist, a complete striker’s performance.
What It Means
The win takes The Cowboys to 32 points, keeping them in 6th place, just five points shy of the top four.
They now have ten games remaining in their debut Super League campaign.
Coach’s Reaction
“It was a good game, tough in the first few minutes. Thereafter, we took over the proceedings.
We scored three during the run of play, though it’s not good for us considering we created numerous chances.
We were not clinical enough and lacked better decision-making in the final third.”
— Coach Enos Chatama
What’s Next
The Cowboys have two days to regroup before returning to action on Saturday, when they host Blue Eagles at Kamuzu Stadium in what promises to be another thrilling league encounter.
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