URA Anticipate ‘Tough’ NEC Tie

UPL Fixtures | Thursday, October 2, 2025

4:00PM – Police vs Expres (Kiira Road Police Arena)
8:00PM – URA vs NEC (Nakivubo)

URA captain Moses Aliro is confident that the Tax Collectors can get their first win in the Uganda Premier League (UPL) this season if they step-up their game against NEC on Thursday evening.

The much-anticipated tactical showdown between Alex Isabirye’s Tax Collectors and Hussein Mbalangu’s Die Hards will go down under the night floodlights of Hamz Stadium, Nakivubo — 8PM kick-off.

Ahead of the match, Aliro sounded so optimistic, but also wary of the task ahead. Anticipating a huge challenge, he has also urged his teammates to show unity and determination in their first home fixture.

“We believe in ourselves, and if we put in the hard work together as a team, we can get the positive result we want against NEC,” Aliro stated.

URA Head coach Isabirye expressed the same belief as his captain. the coach has also warned his players that clashes against NEC are never easy.

“It has always been tough facing NEC,” Isabirye admitted before quickly adding:

“But if we are to compete for silverware this season, we must measure ourselves in such games.”

Isabirye also confirmed that key defender Arthur Kiggundu will be sidelined after sustaining an injury against BUL.

“We shall miss Kiggundu who got injured in our first game, but I am confident that players like Hudu Mulikyi and James Begisa are capable of filling the gap,” he noted.

This will be the Tax Collectors’ first home game of the campaign and their second overall, having opened the season with a goalless draw away at BUL last Friday.

NEC, meanwhile, will be playing their first league match of the season after missing matchday one due to their CAF Confederation Cup engagements.

The last league meeting between the two sides at Nakivubo ended 1-1, with Godfrey Ssekibengo scoring for URA before Paul Mucureezi struck late for NEC.

Most recently, the teams faced off in the FUFA Super 8 preseason tournament, where NEC triumphed on penalties after a goalless draw in normal time.