Close call as Uganda Martyrs battle Mubs for semifinal slot

Varsities Battle. Uganda Martyrs Mbigo (L) and Mubs Nakawa’s Mandela tussle for the ball during the first leg at Nakawa which ended 0-0 (1) . PHOTO BY ISMAIL KEZAALA

What you need to know:

  • On Friday, YMCA Comprehensive Institute host St. Lawrence University for the second leg of their tie. St. Lawrence have a 2-0 advantage from the first leg.

The second leg of the Pepsi University Football League (UFL) quarterfinal tie between two-time champions Makerere University Business School (Mubs) and former champions Uganda Martyrs University is finely poised following a goalless draw in the first leg at Nakawa ground.

The two sides meet today in Nkozi for the second leg with UMU captain Athnas Mutaawe confident his team will show the hunger required their opponents. “We have many new players who have more hunger than the team we had last year,” Mutaawe, who is one five survivors from the 2017 championship winning team.

Then, they defeated Mubs 2-0 in the final to clinch their only UFL title to date. UMU could however be without the services of defender Nasser Lukwago and midfielders Livingstone Mbigo and Dan Kazibwe with Mashood Kafumbe and Gerald Othieno likely to be among the replacements. Their opponents Mubs on the other hand believe they still have a strong chance of winning despite fluffing their opportunities in the first leg.

“We didn’t get the result we expected. We got more open chances and if we take our chances we shall win,” Martin Senkooto the Mubs captain vowed. Munir Saidi had the best chance of the game for two-time champions Mubs but failed to score when he found himself with only the goalkeeper to beat.
On Friday, YMCA Comprehensive Institute host St. Lawrence University for the second leg of their tie. St. Lawrence have a 2-0 advantage from the first leg.