{"id":9339,"date":"2026-09-12T12:04:10","date_gmt":"2026-09-12T09:04:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/ug\/temps\/?p=9339"},"modified":"2026-09-12T12:04:10","modified_gmt":"2026-09-12T09:04:10","slug":"mbarara-city-hold-nec-goalless-upl-draw","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/ug\/temps\/mbarara-city-hold-nec-goalless-upl-draw\/","title":{"rendered":"Mbarara City Hold NEC to Goalless UPL Draw"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Mbarara City earned their first point after holding NEC FC to a 0-0 Uganda Premier League draw at Rwamwanja Stadium in Kamwenge.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mbarara City frustrated NEC FC in a tense 0-0 draw at Rwamwanja Stadium in Kamwenge on Friday, September 11, bringing the visitors\u2019 perfect start to the 2026\/27 Uganda Premier League season to an end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NEC arrived after winning their opening two fixtures, but the Kampala side could not turn their attacking threat into a legal goal. Innocent Media found the net during the contest, only for the assistant referee to flag him offside and cancel what would have been the decisive breakthrough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Match Details<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Item<\/strong><\/td>Information<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Competition<\/td>Uganda Premier League 2026\/27<\/td><\/tr>
Match<\/td>Mbarara City 0-0 NEC FC<\/td><\/tr>
Date<\/td>Friday, September 11, 2026<\/td><\/tr>
Venue<\/td>Rwamwanja Stadium, Kamwenge<\/td><\/tr>
Mbarara City coach<\/td>Francis Mugerwa<\/td><\/tr>
NEC coach<\/td>Badru Kaddu<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

NEC Make Changes but Fail to Find a Goal<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

NEC head coach Badru Kaddu made two changes to the team that had started the 3-1 victory over Lugazi<\/a>. Defender Mustafa Mujuzi and winger Emmanuel Kulanga came into the starting side as the visitors attempted to preserve their winning run.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Richard Basangwa, who scored against Lugazi, was absent from the matchday squad, although Media remained available after scoring twice in that victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The visitors believed Media had continued his productive start when he put the ball in the net. The offside decision, however, kept the score level and proved to be the match\u2019s defining moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NEC also suffered a setback when Kulanga was forced off through injury. Muhammad Kagawa Ssenoga replaced the winger, requiring Kaddu to adjust his plan during a contest in which Mbarara City refused to give way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"NEC
Richard Basangwa and Ronald Media celebrate NEC\u2019s commanding victory over Lugazi FC at Lugogo. PHOTO: Kawowo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mbarara City Show Defensive Resolve<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Ankole Lions entered the fixture under pressure to respond to their defeat by Police. Facing a NEC side that had beaten KCCA<\/a> 2-0 and Lugazi 3-1 made the assignment even more demanding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mugerwa\u2019s players answered with organisation and concentration. They prevented NEC from scoring for the first time this season and avoided the kind of defensive lapse that could have undone their work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although the draw was not the victory Mbarara City wanted, the clean sheet offers a foundation on which they can build. Their Matchday Two meeting against Kitara had been postponed because of the Royals\u2019 continental commitments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NEC\u2019s Winning Run Ends<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

NEC had been among four teams with maximum points after two matchdays. Their opening victory over KCCA was followed by an attacking display against Lugazi, where Basangwa struck once, and Media scored twice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That form made NEC favourites to collect another victory, but football rarely follows a guaranteed script. Mbarara City limited the visitors, survived the disallowed goal and became the first team to take league points from Kaddu\u2019s side this season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The draw leaves NEC third with seven points from three matches. It remains a strong return, yet the stalemate shows that opponents can disrupt their rhythm through patient and compact defending.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kaddu will nevertheless take positives from another clean sheet. NEC have conceded only once in their opening three fixtures, while their seven-point total keeps them firmly among the early leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Portrait
NEC head coach Badru Kaddu Mukasa pictured during a Uganda Premier League match<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Players Who Shaped the Contest<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Innocent Media remained NEC\u2019s main goal threat. His disallowed effort demonstrated his movement and instinct around goal, even though the offside flag prevented him from adding to his two league strikes against Lugazi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mustafa Mujuzi brought experience to the visitors\u2019 defence and helped NEC record their second clean sheet of the campaign. Kulanga was given an opportunity from the start, but his injury ended his contribution earlier than planned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mbarara City\u2019s collective defensive performance deserves recognition. Their back line and midfield protected the clean sheet against a team that had scored five goals across its first two matches. The hosts\u2019 discipline ultimately proved as influential as any individual attacking moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What the Result Means<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

NEC remain unbeaten and have established themselves near the top of the early table. Seven points from nine represents solid progress, although future opponents may study how Mbarara City denied them space and prevented their forwards from settling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mbarara City sit 14th with one point from two games. Their position remains modest, but the table is still taking shape, and they have played fewer fixtures than most clubs. Converting this defensive improvement into goals and victories is now the next challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Explore Bangbet Uganda <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Eligible fans aged 25 and above can follow Uganda Premier League<\/a> markets on Bangbet Uganda<\/a>, subject to availability. Check the confirmed fixture, market rules, and final selections before placing any bet<\/a> because odds can change and no outcome is guaranteed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gambling involves financial risk and should be treated as entertainment, not income. Set affordable limits, never chase losses, and stop if betting becomes difficult to control. Read Bangbet\u2019s <\/a>responsible gambling guide<\/a> or use the customer support<\/a> and complaints guide when help is needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"NEC
Richard Basangwa drives forward for NEC against KCCA at the MTN Omondi Stadium, Lugogo. Credit: NEC FC Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Mbarara City\u2019s goalless draw with NEC was built on resilience, structure and patience. The Ankole Lions collected their first point and first clean sheet of the league season, while NEC surrendered their perfect record but remained unbeaten.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Media\u2019s ruled-out goal and Kulanga\u2019s injury were the major incidents in a match decided by defensive discipline. NEC leave Kamwenge still among the leaders, but Mbarara City can regard the result as an encouraging step forward after a difficult opening defeat.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Mbarara City earned their first point after holding NEC FC to a 0-0 Uganda Premier League draw at Rwamwanja Stadium in Kamwenge. Mbarara City frustrated NEC FC in a tense 0-0 draw at Rwamwanja Stadium in Kamwenge on Friday, September 11, bringing the visitors\u2019 perfect start to the 2026\/27 Uganda Premier League season to an […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":9338,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[195],"tags":[135,122,108,105,129,306,307,189,83,137,128],"class_list":["post-9339","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-uganda-premier-league","tag-bangbet","tag-bangbet-uganda","tag-football","tag-football-news","tag-football-odds","tag-mbarara-city","tag-media","tag-nec-fc","tag-sports-news","tag-uganda-premier-league","tag-upl"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/ug\/temps\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9339","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/ug\/temps\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/ug\/temps\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/ug\/temps\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/ug\/temps\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9339"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/ug\/temps\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9339\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9340,"href":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/ug\/temps\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9339\/revisions\/9340"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/ug\/temps\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9338"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/ug\/temps\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9339"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/ug\/temps\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9339"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bangbet.com\/ug\/temps\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9339"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}