NEC reclaimed their place at the summit of the StarTimes Uganda Premier League with a 2-1 triumph over defending champions SC Villa at the MTN Omondi Stadium on Friday.
Paul Mucureezi opened the scoring for NEC before second-half substitute Cromwell Rwothomio sealed the victory. Hakim Kiwanuka netted Villa’s lone goal in a tightly contested encounter.
The first half saw both teams battle for dominance, but neither could find the back of the net. However, NEC took control after the break, breaking the deadlock in the 57th minute.
Mucureezi capitalized on a defensive lapse by Villa, firing home a stunning half-volley after Enoch Ssebagala set him up with a perfectly placed layoff.
Villa, determined to fight back, equalized in the 71st minute. A well-coordinated move, initiated by Charles Lwanga and involving precise exchanges, ended with Simon Kato Ssemayange’s assist to Kiwanuka, who finished brilliantly from close range.
Despite the setback, NEC remained resolute. In the 86th minute, a corner kick caused chaos in Villa’s box, allowing Gideon Odong to find Rwothomio. The substitute made no mistake, delivering a decisive half-volley past goalkeeper Braddy Wokorach.
The victory marked NEC’s seventh win in 10 matches, propelling them to 22 points—two ahead of Vipers SC, who face Kitara on Saturday.
Villa, with four wins and four losses in 10 games, sits fifth on the table with
