Ekhaya FC Women overturned an early deficit to claim a dominant 5–1 victory over Fomo Women FC in a FAM Regional League clash at Chitakale Ground.
What Happened
Ekhaya Women’s FC delivered a commanding second-half performance to sweep aside Fomo Women’s FC 5–1 in a FAM Regional League encounter played at Chitakale Ground in Mulanje.
The match began with an early shock for the visitors as Fomo took the lead inside four minutes. Maria Bizwick pounced on a defensive lapse and calmly finished with the Ekhaya goalkeeper caught off her line.
Despite the early setback, Ekhaya remained composed and gradually asserted control, circulating the ball well and pushing Fomo deeper into their own half.
Ekhaya’s pressure intensified as the half wore on, prompting an early tactical switch in the 30th minute when Jannin Mwale replaced Janet Simion to add greater attacking thrust.
The visitors were soon handed a golden opportunity to level the score after Joyce Juju was brought down in the box, but Stella Chinkusa’s penalty was saved, allowing Fomo to cling to their lead.
However, Ekhaya’s persistence was rewarded in stoppage time of the first half. Substitute Jannin Mwale announced her arrival in style, firing home a dramatic equaliser to send the teams into the break locked at 1–1.
The second half belonged entirely to Ekhaya. Head coach Patricia Makwakwa reshuffled her pack at the interval, introducing Fortune Bwitubwitu in goal and Cathereen Nthambo in midfield, while a later change saw Magret Msiska come on for Khadija Pangani.
The substitutions injected fresh energy and decisiveness, quickly tilting the balance in Ekhaya’s favour.
Evelyn Lloyd broke the deadlock in the 62nd minute with a stunning long-range strike from outside the box. Moments later, Jannin Mwale was fouled in the area, and this time Magret Msiska made no mistake from the spot to stretch the lead to 3–1.
Captain Hope Chikumba then cut through the Fomo defence to score the fourth, before Cathereen Nthambo capped a ruthless display with a well-taken free kick to complete the scoring.
The only blemish on an otherwise outstanding afternoon for Ekhaya came late on when Jannin Mwale was sent off in the 80th minute after picking up a second yellow card for a foul from behind.
What It Means
The emphatic victory marks a strong statement from Ekhaya Women’s FC as they open the second round of the FAM Regional League. Coming from behind away from home and scoring five goals underlines both their resilience and attacking depth.
The result also highlights the immediate impact of Patricia Makwakwa’s leadership, with tactical adjustments and substitutions playing a decisive role in the outcome. Ekhaya’s ability to dominate the second half suggests a side growing in confidence and cohesion as the season progresses.
What the Coach Said
Speaking after the match, Ekhaya Women’s FC head coach Patricia Makwakwa expressed her delight at starting her tenure with a victory, while praising the players’ commitment and application.
“I’m very grateful to start my work with a win. It was my first game of the season, but the players managed to show what they have been learning in training sessions,” she said.
Makwakwa also hinted that the performance was a reflection of the discipline and tactical awareness instilled during recent preparations, particularly in how the team responded to conceding early.
What Follows
Ekhaya Women’s FC will look to build on this momentum when they travel to Zomba on Sunday to face Zomba City Lionesses.
With confidence high and attacking options firing, the upcoming fixture presents another opportunity for Ekhaya to reinforce their push in the second round of the FAM Regional League.
For Fomo Women’s FC, attention will turn to regrouping and tightening up defensively as they seek to bounce back in their next outing.
