Ekhaya FC fell to a 2–1 defeat against Moyale Barracks FC in a TNM Super League clash on Thursday afternoon at Mzuzu Stadium, despite a spirited second-half fightback sparked by substitute Samuel Rukura.
Hosts Take Control
Moyale took the lead under controversial circumstances just four minutes into the game. The referee pointed to the spot for what he judged to be a handball inside the area, a decision that left Ekhaya players and the technical bench visibly frustrated.
Lameck Mithi stepped up and converted the penalty, firing the hosts into an early lead.
Energised by the opener, Moyale maintained their momentum, pressing with intensity and forcing several strong saves from Amos Sande, who kept the Cowboys in the contest during a turbulent spell.
Ekhaya attempted to regain control, working the ball into promising areas, but the final pass and finishing touch were missing.
Their attacking movements lacked the cutting edge needed to trouble the Moyale backline.
Just when it looked like the Cowboys would head into the break only one goal down, Amos Chipeta doubled Moyale’s advantage in the 44th minute, tapping home at the far post after a well-worked move on the right. The goal sent the hosts into halftime with a firm grip on the match.
Ekhaya returned from the interval with renewed energy, showing greater urgency and better structure in their buildup play.
They pushed higher, circulated the ball quicker, and began to ask serious questions of the Moyale defence.
The breakthrough arrived in the 74th minute. Second-half substitute Samuel Rukura made an instant impact, rising highest to head in a superb delivery from Godswill Kanyika, halving the deficit and injecting life back into the contest.
From that moment, Ekhaya threw numbers forward in search of an equaliser. Moyale dropped deeper, and the final minutes were played almost entirely in the hosts’ half.
Despite the pressure, the Cowboys could not carve out the decisive chance, and time eventually ran out.
The whistle confirmed a 2–1 defeat, a frustrating result given the strong second-half response.
What It Means
The loss leaves Ekhaya FC still in 5th position after 25 matches, while the victory sees Moyale Barracks climb two places to 11th on the table.
From the Technical Bench
Head Coach Enos Chatama offered a candid assessment after the match:
“A very tough game in the sense that we came slowly in the first half. We conceded a penalty in the first three minutes and they scored. Thereafter the game was balanced. We pulled one after the break but could not go on to salvage a point. All in all, let us go back and iron out the mistakes.”1¹
What’s Next
The Cowboys have little time to recover. A massive fixture awaits on Sunday afternoon as they host Mighty Wanderers at Kamuzu Stadium, a clash with huge implications in the race for the top positions.
But before turning fully to that challenge, Ekhaya will reflect on a tricky away day in Mzuzu that ultimately slipped narrowly out of reach.
