Lugazi upstage NEC as Police bounce back

StarTimes Uganda Premier League Results

Wednesday October 30, 2024

Lugazi 1-0 NEC 

Police 2-1 Mbale Heroes

Lugazi made it two wins in as many successive matches when they surprised NEC with a 1-0 victory at Najjembe in one of two StarTimes Uganda Premier League matches played on Wednesday.

Sam Ssemugugu was the match winner on 70 minutes, taking full advantage of a miscontrolled clearance by NEC captain Ibrahim Kiyemba at the halfway line.

After seizing possession, Semugugu charged towards goal, leaving Kiyemba and company in his wake before beating the visitors’ goalkeeper, Hannington Sebwalunyo, from close range.

This was coach Steven Bogere’s first match in charge of Lugazi, building onto their previous 1-0 win over Express, which was orchestrated by caretaker coach and first woman to manage a top flight Ugandan team – Oliver Mbekeka. It was also Lugazi’s first home win.

Lugazi’s only second win in seven matches has the league newcomers in 11th place on eight points, half behind leaders Vipers SC.

The defeat for NEC, who squandered an opportunity to wrest back table leadership from Vipers, was their second in seven matches. They stay second on 15 points, one behind Vipers.

Police back to winning ways

Elsewhere, Police bounced back from their 2-1 defeat to Vipers by beating Mbale Heroes with the same scoreline at Kavumba.

Ben Ochen put the Cops ahead on 23 minutes before coach Asaph Mwebaze’s Mbale Heroes levelled just four minutes into the second half through Umar Kyebatala.

But Isaac Ogwang secured all three points for Police with the winning goal five minutes to full time.

Police have now won two, drawn four and lost one of their first seven matches. They lie fourth on 10 points. 

Mbale remained second from bottom on four points after winning just one match, drawing as many and losing five. League action continues on Thursday.