BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Ekhaya FC continued their impressive start to the 2026/27 FDH Bank Premiership campaign after edging MAFCO FC 1-0 in a tightly contested encounter at Mpira Stadium in Blantyre on Sunday, a result that lifted the hosts to fourth place on the league table.
The victory saw Ekhaya move to 14 points from eight matches, strengthening their ambitions of challenging the league’s frontrunners. MAFCO, meanwhile, remained 11th with nine points from the same number of games after suffering another frustrating afternoon on the road.
The breakthrough came 51 minutes when forward Chimwemwe Chunga found the back of the net in the 51st minute, calmly converting Ekhaya’s best chance to send the home supporters into celebration.
Despite taking the lead, Ekhaya refused to retreat. They continued to press forward, forcing MAFCO onto the defensive for much of the second half as the visitors struggled to create clear cut scoring opportunities.
MAFCO increased the pressure in the closing stages, winning a series of attacking set pieces, including a corner in the 80th minute, as they searched desperately for an equaliser.
However, Ekhaya’s disciplined defence stood firm to preserve the slender advantage until the final whistle.
After the match, MAFCO head coach Sterio Gondwe admitted defeat but insisted his side deserved more from the contest based on their overall performance.
He said his team had exposed several weaknesses that would be addressed when the players returned to training.
“We did not expect to lose after the way we played but football can be cruel. We have identified areas that need improvement and we will work on them before our next match,” Gondwe said.
On the other hand, Ekhaya coach Enos Chatama described the victory as a reward for his players’ determination against a quality opponent.
He acknowledged that MAFCO had made life difficult for his team throughout the encounter.
Chatama praised his players for their commitment and fighting spirit but stressed that the performance also revealed areas that require improvement despite collecting all three points.
Leave a Reply