Ekhaya, Creck seek redemption from recent flump

For an ambitious club like Ekhaya FC, enduring four consecutive defeats inevitably invites intense scrutiny. However, when examining the caliber of opponents they faced during this compressed fixture schedule, the Cowboys deserve a more measured assessment of their recent struggles.

Prior to their current drought, Ekhaya FC had assembled an impressive sequence of performances and results. The Cowboys demonstrated their championship credentials by securing four victories in six matches, dispatching Songwe Border FC, Kamuzu Barracks, Chitipa United, and Karonga United with clinical efficiency. They also earned a valuable point against Dedza Dynamos, with their only blemish being a defeat to Blue Eagles. This remarkable run yielded 13 points from a possible 18, positioning them as genuine contenders to finish immediately behind the traditional powerhouses—FCB Nyasa Big Bullets, Mighty Wanderers, and Silver Strikers.

However, following their hard-fought victory over Karonga United, fortune turned against the ambitious outfit. The subsequent four-match losing streak has raised questions about their resilience and squad depth. Their defeat to Moyale was marred by controversial officiating decisions in the northern region, while the losses to Bullets, Silver Strikers, and Wanderers exposed critical deficiencies in both their attacking prowess and defensive organization.

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The statistics paint a sobering picture: six goals conceded across four matches, with only a single goal scored during this barren spell. These numbers underscore the dual challenge facing head coach Enos Chatama—shoring up a porous defense while rediscovering their goalscoring touch.

Ekhaya will attempt to arrest this alarming decline on Wednesday when they travel to face fellow ambitious club Creck Sporting at the Aubrey Dimba Stadium in their penultimate fixture of the 2025/26 TNM Super League campaign. This encounter represents more than just an opportunity to return to winning ways—it carries significant historical implications for the visiting side.

Creck Sporting and Chitipa United have established themselves as the league’s most impressive debutants in recent memory. Chitipa announced their arrival with authority in 2023, finishing an remarkable fourth place in their maiden top-flight season with 48 points. The following year, Creck matched this impressive feat by securing sixth position with 42 points. Intriguingly, both achievements were orchestrated by the same tactical mastermind—Macdonald Mtetemera—highlighting his exceptional ability to maximize newly-promoted squads.

Currently sitting on 39 points, Ekhaya find themselves tantalizingly close to matching Creck’s benchmark of 42 points for a newcomer. The poetic justice of potentially achieving this milestone against the very team that set the standard adds an extra layer of intrigue to Wednesday’s encounter.

Creck’s Struggle: A Season of Regression

Under the stewardship of Elia Kananji, Creck Sporting have endured a disappointing sophomore campaign, failing to build upon last season’s promising foundation. Currently positioned just three places above the relegation zone with 33 points from 27 matches, their regression has been stark and concerning. They require victories in their remaining fixtures against Ekhaya, Dedza Dynamos, and Mafco FC to merely equal their previous season’s points tally—a scenario that would have seemed unthinkable at the campaign’s outset.

The parallels between these two clubs extend beyond their newcomer status. Both organizations share ambitious visions for Malawian football and possess the financial resources necessary to support competitive squads. They represent a new generation of clubs committed to elevating the domestic game’s standards and intensifying competition at the summit.

Creck’s patron, Apostle Clifford Kawinga, demonstrated this commitment in November by rewarding each player with MK250,000 following their stunning upset victory over Nyasa Big Bullets. However, such memorable triumphs have been frustratingly rare this season, with consistency proving elusive for Kananji’s men.

The statistical comparison between Creck’s two campaigns reveals the extent of their decline. Last season, they recorded 10 victories, 12 draws, and 8 defeats while scoring an impressive 44 goals and conceding 33. This season tells a markedly different story: just 8 wins, 9 draws, and already 10 losses, with a mere 19 goals scored and 25 conceded. These figures show that Creck are a team that has lost both its attacking verve and defensive solidity—the twin pillars of their previous success.

Heading into Wednesday’s clash, Creck arrive on the back of consecutive defeats to Kamuzu Barracks and Moyale Barracks, making the need for a positive result all the more urgent.

Kananji’s Call to Arms

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Head coach Elia Kananji has not minced words regarding his team’s current predicament and the imperative for improvement.

“We desperately needed those points. We’re acutely aware that we’re not in our best moment, and frankly, our performances have fallen well short of acceptable standards,” Kananji told the club’s media team. “Playing at home carries immense importance for us. My players understand that this represents a golden opportunity to atone for our first-round defeat and secure maximum points. Our objective of finishing in the top eight this season remains unchanged and achievable.”

On a positive note, Creck have received a significant boost with the return of Hassan Hussein, who has fully recovered from the knee injury he sustained against Karonga United. According to Kananji, the forward has been cleared for selection and could provide the attacking impetus the team has sorely missed. Additionally, Kondwani Chilembwe, who was unavailable for the trip to Mzuzu, has been restored to the squad, giving Kananji valuable tactical options.

Chatama: Ekhaya Are Battling Fatigue and Finding Form

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For Ekhaya, the fixture congestion has taken a visible toll on squad fitness and performance levels. Head coach Enos Chatama expressed genuine concern about his players’ physical condition following an grueling sequence of matches.

“We’re prepared as best we can be, though I’m observing clear signs of fatigue throughout the squad after six consecutive fixtures with only two days’ rest between games. It’s far from ideal preparation, but we have no choice except to fulfill our fixtures and see out the season professionally,” Chatama explained.

“The primary area requiring immediate improvement is our defensive stability. We’ve defended poorly in our last three matches, conceding goals that were entirely preventable—genuine giveaways. This time, we must demonstrate proper defensive discipline and organization. The other critical concern is our conversion rate in the final third. We’re manufacturing scoring opportunities, but our finishing has been woefully inadequate. This represents a major worry, especially given the limited training time available between matches. We simply cannot continue losing games that should be well within our capabilities to win.”

The Psychological Edge: History and Rivalry

Chatama also touched upon the psychological dimensions of the encounter, referencing his personal head-to-head record against opposing coach Kananji.

“This will be an extremely challenging contest. They’re coming off a 2-0 defeat to Moyale FC, and we’re similarly recovering from a 2-0 loss to Bullets. However, we cannot afford to dwell on Creck’s recent setback at Moyale; we must focus solely on our own capabilities and prepare meticulously for this specific challenge,” Chatama noted.

“It will be an entirely different proposition altogether. I’ve been competing against Kananji since his days at Blantyre United, when I managed Bangwe Madrid—he never managed to defeat me. Later, when he moved to Blue Eagles, I beat him in a cup match while I was coaching Bullets Reserves. However, this is a completely different stage and context.

“This is the Super League, and Creck are undeniably a quality side. We’re both arriving from disappointing results, and both teams are desperate to restore their reputations. It won’t be straightforward by any means; they’re playing on their home turf, which has traditionally been a fortress. We must prepare meticulously and execute our game plan to perfection if we’re to leave with all three points.”

As these two ambitious clubs prepare to collide on Wednesday afternoon, both arrive at a critical juncture in their respective seasons. For Ekhaya, victory would not only end their troubling losing streak but also edge them closer to a historic points tally for a newly-promoted side. For Creck, three points would provide desperately needed breathing space from the relegation battle and reignite hopes of a respectable mid-table finish.

Pride, points, and historical significance will all be at stake, this game promises to deliver drama, intensity, and potentially pivotal consequences for both clubs’ seasons.