John Mchema Francis scored twice in only his second appearance for Ekhaya FC to inspire a 2–1 victory over Standard Bank Blue Eagles at Mpira Stadium on Friday, lifting the Cowboys to fifth in the 2026/27 FDH Bank Premiership standings.
Mchema, who joined Ekhaya from Kamuzu Barracks, opened the scoring in the 21st minute before completing his brace in the 70th minute to secure all three points for the hosts.
Blue Eagles briefly drew level in the 61st minute through substitute Pius Saka, who unleashed a superb volley from outside the box after an Ekhaya defensive lapse.
But Mchema restored Ekhaya’s advantage nine minutes later, finishing off an assist from Samuel Khedira Rukura to hand the Cowboys their sixth win of the league campaign.
The victory takes Ekhaya to 25 points from 18 matches, level on points with Masters FC but ahead on goal difference. Blue Eagles remain third on 34 points from 18 games.
Mchema was named Player of the Match, although his afternoon ended painfully when he was carried off on a stretcher in the 86th minute, denying him an opportunity to chase a hat-trick. The extent of his injury was not immediately known.
Ekhaya started brightly, winning two corners within the opening nine minutes and putting the visitors under early pressure. Malinda’s delivery from the second corner found Wongani Kaponya, whose effort was cleared by Fahad Mtcheka before goalkeeper Precious Masamba completed the clearance.
The hosts continued to threaten and eventually broke the deadlock through Mchema, who converted Malinda’s assist to give Ekhaya a first-half lead.
Blue Eagles increased their attacking threat after the break, with the introduction of Saka and Ajusa Kalowa helping the visitors find greater momentum going forward.
Saka made an immediate impact, restoring parity in the 61st minute with a powerful volley from outside the penalty area after an Ekhaya defensive lapse.
However, Ekhaya responded nine minutes later when Mchema finished off Rukura’s assist to restore the hosts’ advantage and complete his brace.
Malinda came close to extending the lead in the 75th minute, but his effort flew over the crossbar after Rukura had beaten his marker and delivered into the box.
Blue Eagles pushed for another equaliser in the closing stages, but Ekhaya held firm to secure the win.
Akidu urges Ekhaya to look forward
Ekhaya interim head coach Fundi Akidu said the hot conditions affected the players and forced him to advise his team against playing at a high tempo.
“It was a very sunny and hot day, and the heat affected the players. I advised them not to play at a very high tempo. We thank God that we created a lot of chances, and it would have been very painful if we had failed to secure all three points,” Akidu said.
The coach praised Mchema’s contribution, saying the striker’s brace was not surprising following his involvement with the national Under-23 team.
Akidu added that Ekhaya must now focus on their remaining fixtures rather than dwell on the victory.
“Our new signing, John Mchema Francis, scored a brace after returning from the Under-23 national team. This does not surprise me. Now that we have collected the three points, we need to look forward rather than dwell on this game. We are not a team that is moving backwards; we are looking ahead,” he said.
Msakakuona accepts defeat
Blue Eagles head coach Deklerk Msakakuona said his team had to accept the result and concentrate on their remaining matches as they seek to maintain their position near the top of the table.
“In the opening game of the second round, we lost against FCB Nyasa Big Bullets at this same venue, and today we have lost against Ekhaya FC. However, it does not mean Mpira Stadium is an unfavorable venue for us or that we failed to play well here. It is simply God’s timing, and we have to respect that,” Msakakuona said.
He acknowledged that Ekhaya had made better use of their opportunities.
“Ekhaya created two chances and converted them, while we created one clear chance and scored from it. We have to accept the result, go back, prepare for our next matches and continue fighting as Blue Eagles,” he said.
Week 18 action continues
With the Week 18 fixtures continuing this weekend, the race at both ends of the table could see further changes, with leaders FCB Nyasa Big Bullets facing Civil Service United and second-placed Mighty Wanderers travelling to Karonga United.
Silver Strikers, fourth on 32 points, will also be looking to close the gap when they host Kamuzu Barracks. At the bottom, the results involving Creck Sporting, Red Lions, Dedza Dynamos and Moyale FC could affect the relegation battle, while Dedza Dynamos will be hoping for a fresh start under new manager Eliya Kananji.
Saturday, 24 October 2026
- Luanar Mitundu FC vs MAFCO FC — Dedza Stadium
- Chitipa United vs Masters FC — Chitipa Stadium
- Silver Strikers vs Kamuzu Barracks — Silver Stadium
- FCB Nyasa Big Bullets vs Civil Service United — Mpira Stadium
Sunday, 25 October 2026
- Creck Sporting vs Red Lions — Civo Stadium
- Karonga United vs Mighty Wanderers — Karonga Stadium
- Dedza Dynamos vs Moyale FC — Dedza Stadium
