Ekhaya Youth intensified their title charge with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over reigning champions Agumbala FC in the FCB on Saturday morning at Mpira Stadium.
Star forward Depay Banda continued his fine scoring form, netting the decisive goal just after the hour mark to take his tally to nine goals in 14 matches.
What happened
It was a nervy start from our youngsters, who struggled to settle and often found themselves second to loose balls, committing several fouls that disrupted the rhythm of the match.
Agumbala began the brighter of the two sides and could have gone ahead early on when Dan Chimodzimodzi, left unmarked in the box, squandered a golden chance.
Despite sitting mid-table, the reigning champions displayed their pedigree with an energetic opening spell. In the 24th minute, Twarik Karim wasted another big opportunity after being played clean through on goal.
As the first half wore on, Ekhaya began to find their footing, enjoying a short spell of possession. However, rushed runs and heavy touches meant that promising attacks fizzled out before they could test the Agumbala goalkeeper.
The best chance of the half fell to Vincent Thompson, who failed to capitalize on a rebound after a weak clearance from the visitors.
The first half ended goalless , a result that flattered the Cowboys, as Agumbala had created the better chances.
After the break, Ekhaya Youth looked transformed. They began to dominate possession, pinning the champions deep in their own half. The introduction of Chisomo Paika and Maxwell Simfukwe injected fresh energy into the attack, as the hosts began to carve out chance after chance, though wastefulness remained an issue.
Then came the breakthrough. Winger Frank Tembo, quiet in the first half, sparked to life with sharp link-up play alongside Paika down the left flank. His clever play found Depay Banda, who calmly slotted home to give the Cowboys the lead and reaffirm his status as the league’s top scorer.
From then on, the momentum swung firmly in Ekhaya’s favor. Simfukwe, Tembo, and John all went close to extending the lead. But in the closing minutes, Agumbala piled on the pressure in search of an equalizer.
The young Cowboys stood firm, Hope Mustafa commanding his area superbly and defenders throwing bodies in the way of every attempt.
After a tense finish, the whistle finally blew, 1-0 it ended.
What It Means
The victory lifts Ekhaya Youth to 28 points from 14 matches, level on points with league leaders Wanderers Youth, who play Ndirande Dortmund tomorrow at Chilomoni Stadium.
Today’s winner marked Depay Banda’s ninth goal of the season, keeping him at the top of the scoring charts.
Coach’s Reaction
"It was a good game, though not as good as we expected,” said Coach Mphatso Chihame after the match.
“The seriousness was lacking from the boys in some moments, and we need to go back to the training ground to correct the problems we saw today.”
What’s Next
Ekhaya Youth’s final fixture of the first round sees them take on Airspot FC next Wednesday at Chilomoni Stadium, as they aim to close the round on a high.
