NEC will be desperate to bounce back from a crushing 3-1 defeat to title rivals Vipers when they host struggling Mbale Heroes under the lights at Lugogo on Friday in the Uganda Premier League.
Hussein Mbalangu’s side, considered the closest challengers to the Venoms, are now eight points behind the league leaders who edged Maroons 1-0 last Friday. NEC must pick up maximum points to keep their fading title hopes alive.
The odds will be in their favour against bottom-of-the-table Mbale Heroes, who have managed just one point in their last ten league outings. The Eastern Uganda outfit sits on a paltry 10 points with only six matches remaining, making Friday’s game a near must-win for both teams — for vastly different reasons.
Elsewhere at Kavumba Recreation Grounds, Police FC will aim to halt URA’s impressive winning streak. The Tax Collectors have won their last four matches and currently sit fourth with 42 points. A fifth consecutive win could temporarily lift them into third place ahead of BUL’s visit to Wakiso Giants on Saturday.
Since Matia Lule’s appointment, Police have shown resilience and remain unbeaten under his leadership. Knocked out of the Uganda Cup, their full attention now turns to surviving the drop — they sit 12th with 27 points, only marginally above the relegation zone.
History, however, favours URA in this fixture, having won four of the past five meetings, including a 1-0 victory in the reverse fixture played at Nakivubo’s Hamz Stadium.
In the third fixture of the day, Lugazi FC will host Soltilo Bright Stars in a crucial relegation six-pointer. Lugazi, 11th on 28 points, can all but secure their league status with a win, which would open up an 11-point gap between them and the final relegation spot.
For Soltilo Bright Stars, currently second from bottom, three points are vital in their bid to avoid the drop. With time running out, every match counts for survival.
