NEC FC were forced to settle for a share of the spoils after being held to a goalless draw by Mbarara City at Rwamwanja Stadium, Kamwenge, on Friday, bringing their perfect start to the Uganda Premier League season to an end.
Having opened the campaign with victories over KCCA FC and Lugazi FC, NEC entered the encounter with an opportunity to maintain their winning momentum.
Instead, Badru Kaddu’s side found Mbarara City stubbornly resistant throughout a contest that produced little between the two sides.
NEC thought they had finally broken the deadlock when Innocent Media found the net, but the celebrations were swiftly halted after the assistant referee raised the flag for offside.
Kaddu made two changes to the side that defeated Lugazi last week, handing starts to defender Mustafa Mujuzi and winger Emmanuel Kulanga. Richard Basangwa was left out of the matchday squad.
Kulanga’s afternoon was cut short by injury, with Muhammad Kagawa Ssenoga coming on as his replacement.
For Mbarara City, the point represented their first return of the campaign after opening the season with a defeat to Police FC.
Francis Mugerwa’s charges showed enough resilience to frustrate an NEC side that had previously dispatched both of their opponents.
The stalemate leaves NEC third on the table with seven points from three matches, while Mbarara City remain 14th with one point from their opening two games.
