NEC become first team to reach Uganda Cup semifinals

Uganda Cup
Quarterfinals 
Wednesday Result 
Police 0 NEC 2
Saturday 
BUL v KCCA 
Pajule Lions v Pakwach Young Stars 
Sunday 
Kitara v Vipers

NEC FC became the first team to reach the semifinals of the Stanbic Uganda Cup semifinals after registering a convincing 2-0 victory over Police on Wednesday at Kavumba Recreation Grounds in Wakiso district.

Cromwell Rwothomio and Gadafi Wahab scored a goal each in the first and second half respectively in a match their side dominated for larger parts of it.

Rwothomio's goal came early in the second minute of the first half after receiving a good ball from Rashid Okocha and he chipped the rushing Police goalkeeper Edward Kasibante.

He could have scored two more goals in this half but he failed to apply the required finishing when he got similar opportunities. 

NEC limited Police to any meaningful attack in this half and safely sailed to halftime with their slim lead intact.

Police were missing their reliable goalscorer Isaac Ogwang due to illness and his replacement of the day Brian Obedi wasted many good scoring chances.

NEC was the away side in this fixture but controlled proceedings and made Police look like they were the visiting side. 

Police head coach Simon Peter Mugerwa made a couple of changes into the second half but the most impacting one was Reagan Male whose introduction changed their approach to this match. A male who operates on the left wing as an inverted winger caused all sorts of problems for NEC defenders something Obedi had failed to do.

He was only unlucky not to have drawn his side level before Wahab converted an 83rd-minute questionable penalty to make it 2-0 and put the game beyond Police's reach.

Mugerwa was not happy with the referee of the day Asadu Semere whom he accused of awarding what looked to him as soft or not a penalty at all that changed the game.

"We were unlucky to concede an early goal and we failed to respond quickly, then also some decisions by the referee, for me, they were not right especially that late penalty that changed everything," 

"But that is gone, we are now going to put all our focus on securing promotion back to the Uganda Premier League," a disappointed Mugerwa said.

Mugerwa's side still leads the FUFA Big League table with a four-point difference ahead of the team in second place Lugazi FC with seven games to end the season. 

The top three teams in that league will automatically get promoted to the Uganda Premier League for next season. 

On the other hand, Hussein Mbalangu complained about the missed chances by his side and warned that it is very dangerous and needs to stop while referring to his players. 

"It has been a good game, we came here to win and we have won, mission accomplished, though my players play a lot with chances, and this is very dangerous,"

"They need to utilise every chance we get to score and get as many goals as possible," noted Mbalangu.

The quarterfinals of this competition continue on Saturday with Pajule Lions hosting Pakwach Young Stars in Pader district, while BUL and KCCA will meet at the FUFA Technical Centre in Njeru.

On Sunday, holders Vipers make a trip to Masindi to face Kitara in what is anticipated to be a blockbuster contest.