Creck hit by injury, suspension crisis ahead of Ekhaya clash; seven key players out

As domestic league action resumes this weekend following the Malawi national team’s exit from the 2025 COSAFA Championship, Creck Sporting Club faces a significant challenge in their highly anticipated encounter against Ekhaya FC.

The club will be without a staggering seven key players due to a combination of injuries and suspensions as they travel south to Kamuzu Stadium for Saturday afternoon’s clash.

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Head Coach Eliya Kananji, while optimistic after a good display in a friendly against Wanderers last week, confirmed the significant squad absentees. Defenders Miracle Gabeya and Stain Patrick are both suspended after accumulating three yellow cards, delivering a major blow to Creck’s defensive stability.

Further compounding Kananji’s selection headache are five players sidelined with injuries: Hadji Wali, Gift Kadawati, Andrew Bisika, Peter Godfrey, and Ganizani Kapuchi. Their absence significantly impacts the team’s depth across various positions.

This crucial fixture marks Eliya Kananji’s debut as head coach in a league assignment, having taken the reins two weeks ago.

Despite the team’s respectable recent form, securing seven points from their last three games, Kananji will be forced to contend with a depleted squad.

Creck’s recent run includes a hard-fought draw against KB, followed by a convincing victory over Songwe Border United at Aubrey Dimba Stadium, with goals from Hardy Ng’andu and Hassan Hussein. Their momentum continued in Chitowe, where they staged an impressive 2-1 comeback win against MAFCO, thanks to goals from Frank Phiri and another crucial strike from Hassan Hussein.

However, Saturday’s match, the first-ever league meeting between Ekhaya FC and Creck Sporting Club (they previously met in the Sapitwa 4 tournament in March), presents a stern test of depth.

Ekhaya FC enters the game in strong form, sitting comfortably in third position on the league standings with thirteen points, having secured a goalless draw against Blue Eagles in their last outing before the international break. Creck Sporting, meanwhile, comes into the match with eleven points from eight games.

In a slight boost to his options, Kananji has included fresh legs in Jackson Beza and Dalitso Nahipa, while Patrick Mupanzi returns to the squad after recovering from an illness that kept him out of the MAFCO game.