Uganda Premier League – Results

• Busoga United 3-2 NEC FC
• Bright Stars 1-0 Wakiso Giants

Busoga United edged NEC 3-2 in a five-goal thriller in the Uganda Premier League encounter played at FUFA Technical Centre, Njeru on Sunday.

Joseph Dhata fired the home side upfront with a well weighted volleyed effort into the corner of the net after being set up by Brian Kayanja.

From that point, the hosts got in charge of the game making continuous attacks and pegging NEC’s backline in their own territory.

However, defender Aggrey Madoi restored parity for the hosts with a darling effort from the 12-yard mark.

Dhata regained NEC’s lead with yet another powerful low drive in the 38^th minute. The roving right back was picked by Shamir Kimwero’s pass and made sure his effort was converted.

Before the halftime break, Madoi levelled matters directly from the corner kick spot. The well curled effort was the final action for the busy first stanza.

Marvin Kavuma restored the visitors’ lead after curling the freekick into the top corner. It was the talisman’s first touch after replacing Cromwell Rwothomio.

 At the end of the day, NEC registered their eight win of the campaign. The victory takes them to 27 points while Busoga United drop into the red zone with 15 points.

Uganda Premier League – Results

• UPDF 0-3 Kitara

Denis Omendi scored a hattrick as Kitara thumped UPDF 3-0 in the Uganda Premier League at Bombo Barracks Ground in Luwero on Saturday.

Omedi’s tally has now extended his tally to seven goals, three short of the league’s top scorer Nelson Senkatuka.

Kabon Living nearly placed the visitors in the lead but his well curled effort went wide as UPDF was frozen in the moment.

In the 38^th minute, Brian Kalumba made a good run to win possession but was closed down by Chrispas Kusiima and the forward’s effort went wide.

The break arrived with a goalless score board as the two sides displayed a dull half that hardly witnessed a number of goal scoring attempts.

Omedi finally broke the deadlock in the 57^th minute. The improvised header went past UPDF custodian as the visitors took the driving seat.

Omedi doubled the lead eight minutes later, the forward was set up by Frank ‘Zaga’ Tumwesigye before he found the back of the net through a half volley strike.

With two minutes left on the clock, Omedi sealed Kitara’s points with yet another comfortable strike after landing on Kusiimira’s long ball.

The victory takes The Royals in the second position with 32 points while UPDF is 15^th on the log with nine points gathered in 16 games.

Uganda U17 Women’s Team the Teen Cranes shared spoils in a 1-1 draw in the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Qualifiers at the St Mary’s Stadium, Kitende on Saturday evening.

Brighton and Hove Albion defender Bethany Louise Kaluya started in the heart of the backline alongside captain Katisi Natooro.

It was a cagey start to the game as both sides struggled to find viable scoring opportunities.

Kawempe Muslim forward Agnes Nabukenya found the back of the net from close range thus handing the hosts the lead in the 30th minute.

It was a well-built attack that was engineered by Shadia Nabirye and Esther Nangendo before they brought Nabukenya into the play to tap home.

Five minutes into the game, Ernestine Heutchou leveled masters for the visitors with a venomous shot from outside the box.

Six minutes past the hour mark, Uganda put to waste a glorious chance as Nabirye failed to guide home Sylivia Kabene’s darling delivery.

Uganda will take the fight to Yaounde as the two sides play the second half on Friday February 9.

The winner on aggregate in that game will play Zambia or Tanzania in the next round of the ongoing qualifiers.

KCCA FC held BUL FC in a goalless draw in the Uganda Premier League duel played at MTN Omondi Stadium in Lugogo on Friday.

In a game partly played under floodlights, both sides failed to find the back of the net after playing a physical and cagey game.

The visitors suffered a big blow after Martin Aprem was lifted off the field of play after suffering a shoulder injury in the 13th minute. Aprem was replaced by Amos Kirya.

Two minutes later the Kasasiro Boys gave away a glorious chance to take the lead through Shaban Muhammed. The forward jumped highest to connect with Jackson Ogwang’s delivery but the effort skied above the frame.

In the 24th minute, Shaban set up midfielder Emmanuel Wasswa but the resultant effort was far from the target.

Midway through the first stanza, Abdallah Mubiru made a quick change introducing Carlos Da Silva Gui replacing Ashraf Mugume.

In the 36th minute, BUL made another forced change introducing Ibrahim Mugulusi for injured Douglas Muganga.

With five minutes to end the first stanza, goalkeeper Tom Ikara made a full stretch to palm away Mustafa Kizza’s freekick.

In the 55th minute, Nicholas Mwere collided with Emmanuel Alex Wasswa and KCCA appealed for a penalty by the center referee waved away.

Mustafa once again came close through a freekick but the effort went an inch above the frame in the 75th minute.

At the end of the day, the two teams shared spoils in the goalless affair.

The point keeps BUL on top of the log with 34 points while KCCA is ninth with 20 points.

Uganda Premier League | Results

• Gaddafi FC 0-1 URA FC
• Mbarara City 3-1 Express 

URA FC secured a narrow 1-0 victory against Gaddafi in the Uganda Premier League at Gaddafi Arena on Friday evening.

Norman Namanya scored the all-important goal to give the Tax Collectors maximum points from the tight duel.

Goalkeeper Rogers Omedwa pulled off a stunning save in the 22nd minute to deny Baker Buyala’s traveling long-distance effort.

Namanya broke the deadlock in the 30th minute. The midfielder was quick to tap home Laban Tibita’s delivery from the right flank in a smart move by the Tax Collectors.

Before the first stanza came to an end, Tibita’s snapshot rattled off the crossbar. URA failed to double the lead going into the long break.

Ten minutes into the second half, David Obua introduced Bunyaga, Hudu Mulikyi, Sekibengo, and Joseph Ssemujju for Tibita, Namanya, Saidi Kyeyune, and Lubwama.

Having spent only three minutes on the field of play, Ahimbisibwe troubled Gaddafi’s custodian Sekandi with a low-drive effort that was thwarted away to keep the result intact.

In the 72nd minute, Ssemujju beat his marker to pace before he was denied by Sekandi. Later defender Bashir Asiku rescued Gaddafi after clearing Bunyaga’s effort off the line.

The victory lifts URA to the seventh position with 24 points while Gaddafi is 13th with 16 points after 16 games played.

• Uganda Premier League – Result
• SC Villa 2-1 Maroons

SC Villa fought from a goal down to secure a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Maroons in the Uganda Premier League at the Muteesa II Stadium, Wankulukuku on Thursday.

The game started at a high pace seeking an early opener in the end-to-end game.

Fred Amaku fired the visitors ahead in the eighth minute with a powerful low drive from outside the box to beat Villa custodian Meddie Kibirige.

Abraham Tusubira launched a counter attack catching SC Villa on the break as before setting up Amaku who was given a lot of space to shoot.

Hakim Kiwanuka had a chance to level matters in the 23^rd minute but Hannington Ssebwalunyo pulled off a stunning save to keep the score intact.

It was beautiful football and a sweet piece of interplay by Elvis Ngonde and Patrick Kakande but Kiwanuka wasted another golden chance to square the game.

Maroons were denied a clear penalty after Eric Ndihabwe’s shot in the box went off Arnold Odong’s hand but the centre referee waved away.

Coming back from the locker rooms, the hosts locked much better, throwing more bodies upfront and exchanging passes at a high speed.

Kakande levelled matters on top of the hour with a well-curled effort after Villa passed the ball with top conviction leaving Maroons’ backline frozen.

Ten minutes later, Kakande finally placed the hosts in the lead with yet another subline finish. The youngster beat his marker before he calmly slotted the ball into the net.

The visitors had a chance to restore parity but Biden Mujahid sent his shot way off the target as the hosts’ backline went to bed.

The victory sends Villa to fourth place with 29 points while Maroons fall to fifth place with just one point less than the previous.

Villa will be on the road in their next fixture as they take on Kitara on Friday, September 9 while Maroons will play Maroons a day earlier.

Uganda U17 Women National Team Head Coach Sheryl Botes expects a good game as Uganda takes on Cameroon.

The two nations will lock horns in the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup Qualifiers duel set to be played on Saturday, February 3 at St Mary’s Stadium, Kitende.

While speaking to FUFA media, Botes was confident revealing that the team is in great shape and ready to take on Cameroon.

“I think we shall be good to go on Saturday. The players have responded positively to training and I think we are good to go,” Boates revealed.

“I believe we have a good team to get a good result against Cameroon. We still have a few days to prepare. We have worked on the process of play to make sure the girls understand how exactly they have to play,” she added.

It will be the second time Uganda takes part in FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup Qualifiers. In the previous edition, they were eliminated by Ethiopia in the first round.

Uganda Premier League side KCCA FC has completed their mid-season transfer business bringing in four players and releasing three.

The Lugogo-based side has signed two players goalkeeper Mutwalibi Mugolofa and attacking midfielder Peter Lwasa.

In the same breath, KCCA recalled Emmanuel Wasswa from Express where he played half of the campaign on loan. 

Wasswa has a good show while playing for the Red Eagles and he is expected to bring leadership, experience, and drive to KCCA’s middle park which has several young players.

The fourth player to make his way into KCCA’s senior team is youngster Joseph Ogwang. Ogwang has been handled on a four-and-a-half-year contract keeping him at Lugogo until June 2028.

However, the club has also witnessed the departure of three players. Moses Waiswa Ndhondhi, Vinicius Micheal, and Daniel Opolot Isiagi are the players who walked through the back door.

As the Uganda Premier League is close to a return, Kakyeka Stadium has been cleared to host Mbarara City league games.

Days back, the UPL secretariat released the second-round fixture and Kakyeka was not among the stadiums to host league games.

That created a heated-up debate, raising the question of where Mbarara City was to host their home games before reports put it that they might go back to Prison Grounds in Luzira.

However, the latest update confirms that Mbarara’s home games will be held at Kakyeka, something that will leave the home crowd with a smile on their faces.

“Mbarara City will host its home matches during the second round of the 2023-2024 season at Kakyeka Stadium,” the UPL secretariat confirmed.

Mbarara City are 11^th on the 16-team log with 17 points in the 15 games played in the UPL first round.

They return to action on Friday, February 2 as they host Express FC as the second round gets underway.

Uganda Premier League side Soltilo Bright Stars has completed the signing of Indian defender Aaryan Badoni.

Badoni becomes Bright Stars’ first signing in the ongoing midseason transfer window where most of the clubs have been so silent.

The 22-year-old defender will not be a new face in the country having played for the rising stars and the SC Villa Youth team during his boyhood years.

After an exciting show at the Rising Stars, he was given a rare opportunity to be part of the prestigious USA Cup in America.

Before joining Dubai City FC, Badoni played for Excel Soccer Academy which continued to shape him into a better footballer.

In 2023, he joined Gulf United, a team playing in the third division of UAE professional football league where he had quite a fair run.

He returns to a country where the whole story started and his goal will be to lay a firm foundation for his talent to be fully vanished but also rejuvenated.

Bright Stars are 10^th on the 16-team log with 18 points gathered in the 15 games played in the first round.

Bright Stars will be returning to action on Sunday, February 4 as they host neighbours Wakiso Giants at Kavumba Recreational Grounds.