Defending champions Ekhaya Reserves made a strong resumption of the ThumbsUp Southern Region Football League campaign with a hard-fought 2–1 victory over Thondwe FC at Kamuzu Stadium on Saturday.
After a fruitless first half Yusuf Namtunga and Bernardo Mofolo struck a sumptuos goal each in quick succession to settle the tie.
How the Match Unfolded
The Young Cowboys were keen to avenge their first-round defeat against Thondwe, and they started brightly, controlling possession and forcing the visitors into deep defensive blocks.
Despite sustained pressure and a series of creative patterns in the final third, Thondwe’s disciplined backline stood firm, making crucial interceptions and blocks to deny Ekhaya a breakthrough.
The first half ended goalless, but the second half saw the match open up with more intensity.
Head coach’s tactical substitutions at the restart, introducing Bernardo Mofolo and Maxwell Sakanamba, brought immediate energy and attacking thrust.
Mofolo, who was celebrating his birthday, almost scored with his second touch of the game but mistimed a volley from close range.
However, the momentum was firmly with us, and it was only a matter of time before the breakthrough arrived.
In the 57th minute, Yusuf Namtunga was played through one-on-one and showed great composure, sliding a low finish past the goalkeeper at the near post to make it 1–0.
Just seven minutes later, Ekhaya Reaerves doubled their lead with a move of sheer quality.
Sakanamba floated a delightful ball into the path of Mofolo, who dazzled the crowd with a moment of brilliance, dribbling past two defenders before cutting inside to curl a low strike into the far corner. A spectacular goal fitting for his birthday celebration.
Thondwe, to their credit, refused to roll over. With four minutes left, Emmanuel Kamwendo capitalized on a defensive lapse to pull one back, setting up a nervy finish.
However, Ekhaya stood tall, managing the closing stages to secure a 2–1 victory.
What It Means
The result sees the young Cowboys return to the summit of the ThumbsUp SRFL table with 37 points from 16 matches, two points clear of their closest challengers.
What the coach said
Speaking after the match, the head coach Edison Mapulanga praised the resilience of his side:
“It was a difficult game, though we managed to win. We are back on top but as you could see today, the second round has more intensity, there will be no easy matches. It will be important for us to keep this momentum in the games to come.”
What’s Next
With the second round now underway, the defending champions will hit the road next weekend for another tricky assignment against Nsanje United, as they look to maintain top spot in the race for the title.
