NEC FC head west this weekend with one clear mission, to finally ignite their 2025/26 Uganda Premier League campaign. After a sluggish start that has yielded just two points from three games, last season’s runners-up find themselves uncomfortably close to the drop zone and in urgent need of momentum.
Their opponents, Mbarara City, are facing a similar struggle, making the clash at Kamwenge Stadium a battle of two sides desperate to kick-start their seasons.
For NEC, the encounter comes amid a period of transition. With head coach Hussein Mbalangu still serving a suspension, interim boss James Odoch continues to steer the ship. He remains upbeat despite the team’s early setbacks, insisting the players are responding well to his methods.
“The boys have responded well since the last game and ready to get off the mark,” Odoch told the club media.
That renewed energy will be vital against the Ankole Lions, who have yet to secure a victory themselves after two defeats and two draws. History, however, leans heavily in NEC’s favor, Mbarara City have never taken a point off the Bugolobi-based side in the top flight.
Coach James Odoch ahead of @TeamMbararaCity #Diehards pic.twitter.com/tA9vkJVlvc
— NEC FC (@Nec_Fc) October 31, 2025
The match promises intensity and urgency, with both clubs aware that another slip could deepen their troubles.
Meanwhile, elsewhere on Saturday, reigning champions Vipers SC begin their title defence with an away fixture against newly promoted Entebbe UPPC at Bugonga Grounds.
