Ekhaya Youth climbed to the summit of the 2025 FCB Katswiri U20 League on Monday morning after a hard-fought 1-2 victory over Young Stars at Chilomoni Stadium.
Goals from Mphatso Julius and Miracle Kunterera were enough to hand the young Cowboys their sixth win of the season, despite a late scare from the hosts.
What happened
The game began with Ekhaya Youth imposing themselves early on, dictating possession and showing hunger to seize control of the contest. It didn’t take long for their pressure to pay off.
Midfielder Mphatso Julius, who had been pulling the strings in the center of the park, produced a moment of brilliance to break the deadlock.
Spotting the goalkeeper off his line, he struck a perfectly weighted lofted effort from range, leaving the crowd in awe as the ball sailed into the net.
Young Stars nearly responded immediately, forcing a big save from Joseph Mophedi in goal just three minutes later. Mophedi’s sharp reflexes denied what could have been a quick equalizer, keeping Ekhaya Youth’s lead intact.
The young Cowboys almost doubled their advantage midway through the half when a clever through-ball released Julius and No. 9, but the Young Stars’ keeper stood tall in the one-on-one duel, keeping his side in the contest.
Despite a few spells of possession from the home side, Ekhaya Youth remained in control and went into the halftime break with a deserved 0-1 lead.
The momentum carried into the second half, with Ekhaya Youth continuing to press forward in search of a cushion. Their persistence was finally rewarded on the stroke of the hour mark.
Julius, already on the scoresheet, turned provider with a fine pass that found Miracle Kunterera, who rifled a strong low effort past the keeper to make it 0-2.
Sensing the game was drifting beyond their reach, Young Stars tried to claw back but found it difficult to penetrate a disciplined Ekhaya backline.
To inject fresh energy, Coach made a triple substitution ,introducing Andrew Khombe, Collins Pearson, and Razak John in place of Frank Temba, Chisomo Paika, and Deepay Banda.
However, just when the game seemed to be heading for a routine finish, Young Stars pulled one back through Misheck Millias with only three minutes left on the clock. The goal set up a nervy finale, with the hosts throwing everything forward in search of an equalizer.
In the dying moments, Young Stars were presented with a series of chances, but Mophedi and his defense stood firm to ensure the three points belonged to the young Cowboys. 1-2 it ended.
What It Means
The victory sees Ekhaya Youth leapfrog Mighty Wanderers Youth to the top of the FCB Katswiri U20 League table. They now sit on 21 points from 10 games, a testament to their consistency and resilience this season.
What’s Next
Ekhaya Youth’s next challenge comes next weekend when they face Extended Hope in another crucial league encounter, as they look to strengthen their grip on first place.
