Ekhaya FC suffered their second consecutive defeat in the TNM Super League of Malawi following a narrow 1-0 loss to Civil Service United on Wednesday afternoon at Civo Stadium.
A solitary strike from Dastan Banda on the stroke of half-time proved decisive, condemning The Cowboys to back-to-back league defeats and their third loss across all competitions.
What happened
The game began brightly for The Cowboys, who carved open the hosts’ defense on three occasions inside the opening 10 minutes but lacked the finishing touch to make their dominance count.
Civil gradually grew into the contest, using the left channel as their main attacking outlet. Playmaker Chimwemwe Biason dictated tempo, drawing fouls and helping his side win multiple free-kicks in dangerous areas.
The pressure eventually told in the 27th minute. A low cross from the left flank found Dastan Banda, who calmly tapped home to put The Servants in front. The goal lifted the home side, and they continued to pin Ekhaya back, forcing the visitors to defend deep.
The Cowboys came closest to an equalizer in stoppage time when Alick Lungu delivered a perfect ball to Stanley Billiat, but the forward somehow failed to convert from close range. The miss was immediately followed by the halftime whistle, leaving Ekhaya trailing 1-0 at the break.
Coach Enos Chatama reacted by introducing Blessings Malinda for Lovemore Mbeta in search of more attacking impetus.
After the restart, The Cowboys began the half positively, pushing forward and asking questions of the Civil defense.
However, frustration set in when Hermas Masinja was booked for appealing for a penalty despite not being the captain. Soon after, Chatama rang more changes with Samuel Rukura and Kesten Simbi replacing Billiat and James Lumbe. Civil were also forced into a change, as Chifundo Damba came on for the injured Biason.
The game remained open. Civil nearly doubled their lead in the 75th minute, but Cowboys goalkeeper Joshua Waka pulled off a crucial save, picking up a knock in the process but managing to continue.
With time running out, Ekhaya pushed numbers forward in search of a late equalizer. Despite their persistence, The Servants defended resolutely, closing spaces and denying The Cowboys a clear route to goal. At full-time, Civil held on to their slender lead. 1-0 it finished.
What It Means
The result marked Ekhaya’s second straight league defeat and their third loss across all competitions, leaving them in 6th place with 26 points from 17 matches. Meanwhile, Civil Service United’s resurgence continued as they climbed to 4th position with 27 points, overtaking us in the standings.
Coach’s Reaction
Speaking after the match, Coach Enos Chatama acknowledged the challenges but remained optimistic about the future:
“It was a game where they came with a positive mind. They came hard to win, but we conceded during the run of play. The boys were playing under pressure, they seem to have lost direction and the mojo. All in all, the future looks bright. We have a good team, but the missing link is up front. We are failing to keep the ball and convert chances.
We have to go back and iron out the mistakes. It is a process, a lot of players are coming in from different teams. Once everything is done, the boys are going to gel and have a new lease of life.”
Next Up
With the international break on the horizon, Ekhaya FC will have a two-week pause before returning to league action. The break will also see two Cowboys players link up with the national team, offering valuable exposure before the campaign resumes.
