Ekhaya Youth were held to a goalless draw by Extended Hope in the FCB Katswiri U20 League on Monday morning at Chilomoni Stadium, despite both sides creating numerous chances throughout the match.
What Happened
Before kick-off, a solemn moment of silence was observed in memory of Ekhaya FC’s late Legal Advisor, Dalitso Mtambo, who sadly passed away in Blantyre on Sunday.
Once the game got underway, it was the hosts who threatened first, fashioning a close-range opportunity inside the opening 10 minutes which they squandered.
Extended Hope, second bottom on the table, built on that momentum, forcing three early saves before Ekhaya responded with a decent effort of their own up the other end.
The game quickly became an end-to-end contest. Extended Hope came within inches of finding the opener with a lofted attempt that almost crept into the back of the net, only to see it drift narrowly wide.
Ekhaya Youth then carved out their first golden chance of the half, when Simfukwe was set up beautifully by a cutback from the right. However, the striker couldn’t make proper contact, letting the chance go begging. Despite plenty of action in both penalty areas, the first half ended 0–0.
Coach Mphatso Chihami made a bold triple substitution just five minutes after the restart, introducing Deepay Banda, Frank Tembo and Chisomo Paika in place of Collins Pearson, Razak John, and Mphatso Julius.
The fresh legs immediately changed the tempo of the game, with substitute Tembo rattling the upright in what proved to be Ekhaya’s best chance of the second half.
Chihami would later bring on a fourth substitute, Collins Pasiya for Maxwell Simfukwe, as his side pushed hard for a winner.
Despite the tactical changes and a flurry of half-chances, neither team found the breakthrough as the match closed goalless.
What It Means
The draw takes Ekhaya Youth’s tally to 22 points from 11 matches, marking their fourth draw of the campaign. The Cowboys juniors remain in second place, keeping pressure on the league leaders Mighty Wanderers who have 24 points.
Coach Mphatso Chihami’s Reaction
Speaking after the game, Chihami defended his decision to rotate the squad and urged his players to be more clinical in front of goal:
“We tried a bit of rotation given our squad and the talent within our ranks. We created chances which, if we had converted, could have earned us more than just a draw. Nonetheless, this is a marathon, and we go back today with a point and plan to come back stronger.”
Next Fixture
Ekhaya Youth now turn their attention to a top-of-the-table clash against league leaders Mighty Wanderers Youth next weekend, a fixture that could play a crucial role in shaping the title race.
