Collins Sichenje: Harambee Stars Defender Finally Makes Charlton Debut in 1-1 Stalemate Against Southampton

Collins Sichenje made his Charlton Athletic debut in a 1-1 Championship draw against Southampton, marking a key milestone in his career.

Harambee Stars defender Collins Sichenje made his full debut for Charlton Athletic on Saturday, February 21, in their Championship clash against Southampton at St Mary's as the Addicks lost 1-0.

Since signing for the Addicks on February 2nd, Collins Sichenje has had to be patient, spending the last three matches as an unused substitute.

During his time on the bench, Charlton recorded mixed results, including a 0-0 draw against QPR, a 1-0 victory over Stoke City, and a disappointing 3-1 home defeat to Portsmouth.

Manager Nathan Jones has finally handed him a starting spot as part of a back three, alongside Lloyd Jones and Amari'i Bell.

Southampton vs Charlton Athletic: First Half Report

The match was off to a great start, and in the 4th minute, Charlton Athletic came close to taking the lead, but Scienza’s effort was superbly cleared off the line by Jones.

A few minutes later, Southampton pressed forward as Shea Charles tested Thomas Kaminski with a strong effort that required a solid save, keeping the game level.

In the 14th minute, James Bree took a free-kick, but Charlton Athletic’s Thomas Kaminski made a save and pushed the ball away.

In the 26th minute, Southampton continued to push forward as Shea Charles attempted to find the net, but his effort was comfortably saved by Thomas Kaminski to keep the score level.

Shortly after, Southampton came agonisingly close to scoring as Ryan Manning’s powerful effort struck the crossbar, denying them a breakthrough in the match.

In the 34th minute, Bree rose at the back post but directed his header over the bar, missing a good opportunity for Southampton. Two minutes later, Carey tried his luck with a left-footed effort, though his shot went wide of the target.

Southampton vs Charlton Athletic: Second Half Report

Coming back for the second half, in the 48th minute, Leo Scienza’s pinpoint cross was met by a superb header from Ross Stewart, who powered the ball home to hand Southampton a 1-0 lead.

In the 57th minute, Lyndon Dykes thought he had found the equaliser as he put the ball in the net, but the goal was disallowed after the referee ruled it out for handball.

In the 66th minute, Charlton Athletic made their first substitution of the match, with Miles Leaburn coming on to replace Tyreece Campbell as they looked to inject fresh energy into the attack.

In the 67th minute, Charlton Athletic drew level through a well-worked move as Amari’i Bell surged forward with intent before picking out Docherty, who cleverly laid the ball into Sonny Carey’s path, allowing him to drill a precise finish into the bottom-left corner to make it 1-1.

In the 76th minute, Harwood-Bellis was shown a yellow card after committing a late and heavy challenge on Leaburn. In the 77th minute, Jones’ header caused chaos inside the box, but Southampton managed to scramble the ball clear as the hosts held firm defensively.

In the 80th minute, Dykes met Leaburn’s cross with a header, but he directed the effort over the bar, missing the target. In the 84th minute, Downes and Coady were both booked after being involved in an off-the-ball incident, with the referee issuing yellow cards to each player.

In the 85th minute, Charlton Athletic made a double substitution, bringing on Charlie Kelman and Conor Coventry in place of Lyndon Dykes and Conor Coady as they pushed for a strong finish to the match.

In the 90th minute, Charlton Athletic made a late change, with Harry Clarke coming on to replace Collins Sichenje as the match approached its conclusion.

Despite the added time, the match ended in a hard-fought draw against Southampton, with Collins Sichenje's performance providing encouraging signs.