Ekhaya Reserves delivered a strong performance to beat Tigers Reserves 2-0 in ThumbsUp Southern Region Football League at the Mpira Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Fatsani Juwayo opened the scoring and later Limbikani Kutambe sealed what was a vital win.
How it unfolded
The defending champions, Ekhaya Reserves, started brightly and looked dangerous from the outset. Early in the tie Peter Kumbani played a lovely through ball to Paul Phiri, but the striker was unable to convert.
Moments later, the breakthrough arrived as Peter Kumbani floated a cross into the box, which Juwayo turned in with a header.
Ekhaya continued to apply pressure, and at the 25-minute mark, their efforts were rewarded. A well-worked set-piece straight from the training ground was finished off in style by Kutambe, who unleashed a rocket into the net to give his side a deserved lead.
Tigers nearly equalized just before halftime, but goalkeeper Alex Juma made a stunning save to preserve the 1-0 advantage heading into the break.
Ekhaya made a triple substitution at the restart, introducing Shadreck Mikundi and Francis Chimbayo among others to inject fresh legs. Tigers responded with their own changes, but it was the hosts who remained on top.
Substitute Yohane Jim had a golden opportunity on the hour mark, breaking through one-on-one, but his tame finish was comfortably dealt with by the Tigers keeper.
With ninteen points, Juma was called into action again, making another crucial stop to deny Tigers a way back.
With Tigers pushing in the final stages, Ekhaya held firm to see out the match and secure a well-earned 2-0 victory.
What It Means
This vital win lifts Ekhaya Reserves to 30 points from 12 games, overtaking FCB Nyasa Bullets Reserves at the top of the standings.
What the Coach Said
"Proud of my boys. We’ve managed to win 2-0, which is exactly what we needed to go top. Now the hard part begins — we need to work even harder to maintain this position." - Coach Autry Kalulu.
What’s Next
Ekhaya Reserves are back in action next Saturday when they face Zingwangwa United at Mpira Stadium in another important league encounter.
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