The unwritten derby: are Ekhaya new Bullets’ nemesis in Blantyre?

The stage is set, the tension palpable. Forget the usual suspects; a new narrative is unfurling in Malawian football. While the Blantyre Derby between Mighty Wanderers and FCB Nyasa Big Bullets has long held the spotlight, a burgeoning rivalry is now captivating the nation, one steeped in shared history and a quest for vindication. This is the tale of FCB Nyasa Big Bullets versus Ekhaya FC, a clash far more intricate than a simple football match.

A betrayal, a new beginning: The Enos Chatama saga

The traditional animosity between Bullets and Wanderers was famously ignited by the controversial transfer of the late Yasin Salim Osman.

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Now, a similar, yet arguably more poignant, narrative underpins the burgeoning rivalry with Ekhaya FC: the mass exodus of players, led by none other than Enos Chatama, the architect of Bullets Reserve’s success, who now commands Ekhaya FC from the technical area.

Chatama’s eight-year tenure at Bullets Reserve was nothing short of transformative. He meticulously sculpted the raw talent that would become the backbone of Bullets’ recent triumphs. Players like Chimwemwe Idana, Hassan Kajoke, Frank Willard, Patrick Mwaungulu, Charles Petro, Ernest Petro, Lanjesi Nkhoma, and Stanley Billiati all honed their skills under his tutelage, eventually propelling the senior team to an enviable haul of titles.

Enos harbored a deep-seated aspiration to ascend the ranks at Bullets, perhaps even to succeed Kalisto Pasuwa or serve as his assistant.

However, when Pasuwa departed earlier this year, the coveted head coach position eluded Chatama. The club, opting for a familiar face, reappointed Peter Mponda, fresh from guiding Silver Strikers to a Super League title after a decade-long drought.

This decision, while perhaps understandable from the club’s perspective, undoubtedly stung Chatama. Yet, it also presented an unexpected opportunity—a chance to finally test his mettle in the elite league after dominating the lower divisions.

As his contract with Bullets Reserve wound down, the People’s Team tabled an improved offer, eager for him to continue his invaluable work. Silver Strikers also vied for his services, offering him an assistant coaching role.

But it was Ekhaya FC, newly promoted to the TNM Super League and fulfilling a dream since their inception in 2023, that offered him the coveted head coaching position. This was the escape window Chatama had yearned for.

His departure wasn’t solitary; he orchestrated a significant transfer coup, bringing with him a cohort of promising young talents from Bullets Reserve, including Andrew Lameck and Happy Mphepo, and shrewdly signing former Bullets main team players whose contracts had expired, such as Stanley Billiati, Alick Lungu, Kesten Simbi, Elias Missi, and Innocent Wadada Msowoya.

This mass defection has imbued the upcoming clash with an almost familial intrigue, transforming a mere match into a deeply personal affair. While Chatama has publicly downplayed the notion of proving a point, facing one’s former employers inevitably ignites a burning desire for vindication.

“I’m not going into this fixture to prove a point, it’s a mere game, two teams are playing. It’s a game whereby we are fighting for points we don’t need to prove a point. We are in a project, we gave ourselves three years, then after three years we are going to challenge the top guns, as of today, there are three top guns who have had good run of spells from 1986 up to date. I believe that as a team, we need to grow, we need to learn and we need to know.

Ekhaya’s ascent: Defying expectations

Ekhaya FC’s journey from a lower league contender to a bona fide force in the Super League has been nothing short of phenomenal. Their promotion was a hard-fought battle, even requiring a stroke of fortune when Mangochi All Stars were docked points, allowing Ekhaya to backdoor their way into the ThumbsUp Round of 8, a tournament they ultimately won.

Since their entry into the elite league, Ekhaya’s trajectory has been a meteoric rise. They’ve defied every expectation, collecting points with remarkable consistency.

Only Kamuzu Barracks and Chitipa United have managed to deny them a share of the spoils. Their six victories already surpass the tallies of thirteen other teams, with only Bullets (8) and Wanderers (7) boasting more wins.

Currently, Ekhaya FC occupies an impressive third place in the league standings, with 20 points from 10 games, a testament to six wins, two draws, and two losses.

Their early season saw back-to-back victories against Mighty Tigers and Civil Service United before a minor stumble against Chitipa United. They swiftly rebounded to defeat Songwe Border United FC, suffered another loss to Kamuzu Barracks, then embarked on a strong run, beating Karonga United, drawing with Blue Eagles, triumphing over Creck Sporting Club and Mzuzu City Hammers, and securing a recent draw against Dedza Dynamos Football Club.

Even Peter Mponda, Bullets’ current head coach, acknowledges Ekhaya’s impressive form. “Their coach [Enos Chatama] is doing a commendable job, and their players are doing well. It’s good for them because they are coming from a lower league, and coming into the elite league, they are collecting points against big teams,” he conceded.

Chatama himself, while admitting his team is on the right path, humbly suggests they are “not ready to compete with big guns like FCB Nyasa Big Bullets, Mighty Wanderers, and Silver Strikers currently.” However, their league position speaks volumes.

“Bullets are a big team, they have been in the game for quite so long, they were born in 1967, they should be 58 years old now, Wanderers were born in 1965, they should be 60 years old while Silver Strikers were born in 1977 they should be 48 years old, we are Ekhaya, we were born three years ago, we need time to become a better team.

“Teams like Bullets have had bad punches, they rebuild using other investments, Silver Strikers once went through a bad punch, they are now regaining and they won the league title last season, Wanderers are also a better team whereby they have been rebuilt around, they are now a good team, it will take Ekhaya somw time to become a good side. Its a process but we believe that as we go along, we will build a strong team and challenge the top three,” he said.

A “Derby” in the Making?

There is a big gap on fan base, glory times but their current performance suggests that it is going to be the one. Despite the escalating tension and compelling narratives, Peter Mponda remains resolute in his stance that Ekhaya FC is not yet an emerging nemesis, staunchly maintaining that the sole Blantyre Derby remains the clash between Bullets and Wanderers.

“I don’t think so [that it’s a derby], we only have one Derby in Malawi and that’s Bullets v Wanderers. Media may call this derby to hype the game but to me, there is only one Derby,” Mponda declared during his pre-match press conference, hinting at a journalistic desire to hype the fixture.

While Mponda and Chatama possess distinct media personas—Mponda’s directness contrasting with Chatama’s more explanatory approach—they share a profound understanding of the beautiful game.

Both coaches are ardent proponents of nurturing young talent, prioritizing ball possession, and employing a passing game. This shared philosophy has sculpted two of the most formidable defensive units in the league; Bullets have conceded a mere two goals in nine matches, while Ekhaya has shipped only four in ten.

Chatama’s extensive work with young players at Bullets Reserve mirrors Mponda’s decade-long tenure at Surestream Academy, resulting in remarkably similar tactical approaches.

Mponda, having apprenticed under luminaries like Kalisto Pasuwa and Ronny Van Geneugden, has absorbed invaluable experience, while Chatama, primarily self-taught with television as his “main mentor,” has carved his own niche.

This shared coaching lineage, coupled with their individual ambitions, suggests an emerging coaching rivalry that could define Malawian football for years to come.

This fixture presents a fascinating juxtaposition of strengths. Bullets, currently the league’s top-scoring team, will test Ekhaya’s second-best defensive record. It’s a true acid test for both sides: Ekhaya’s defensive resilience against Bullets’ attacking prowess.

Chatama views the game as an important barometer for his team’s progress. “It will be a tough game considering the fact that Bullets are a big team, on top of the table and we are third. It will be a good game but whatever result that comes, it will not describe Ekhaya’s strength,” he stated.

“It’s the game that is going to test our players, it’s more like a friendly match. We faced them in Mulanje at Sapitwa4 Bonanza, we want to see the strength of the guys and their capabilities at the end of 90 minutes.”

The personal stakes extend beyond Chatama. Players like Alick Lungu, Stanley Billiati, and Kesten Simbi, all of whom played for Bullets’ main team last season, will be eager to make a statement.

Lungu’s decision to forgo a new contract with Bullets, particularly after the club invested in his medical bills, generated considerable discussion. Billiati similarly declined an extension, while Simbi was among those released by the club. For these players, this match is a profound opportunity for redemption.

Both Bullets and Ekhaya are currently undergoing significant rebuilding phases, yet both are delivering a brand of football that is both appetizing and effective. Mponda inherited a team from Pasuwa in transition but has commendably managed to grind out results despite acknowledging that the team is not yet at its desired level defensively. Chatama, conversely, joined Ekhaya when it was essentially a blank slate, building a competitive squad from the ground up.

“From midfield going forward, we are strong. Defensively, we are not at our best but encouragingly, we are not conceding much. We have scored more and conceded less, we are finding a balance,” Mponda admitted, highlighting Bullets’ current state.

He further lauded his team’s ability to control possession against formidable opponents, citing their performance against Mighty Wanderers and Silver Strikers.

“It’s a game whereby [the team teams] have got two different ambitions,” said Chatama. “Bullets are a team with the ambition of winning the league while Ekhaya has the ambition of staying in the league so that we keep on learning, next season we learn, we build a team, in 2027, we challenge the big guns.”