StarTimes Uganda Premier League
URA FC 0-0 Nyamityobora FC
Mandela National Stadium, Namboole
Friday, 02-10-2018
NAMBOOLE – URA FC were held to a goalless draw at home to Nyamityobora in the StarTimes Uganda Premier League match played on Friday afternoon.
The Tax Collectors who went into the game on the back of two consecutive draws missed a late penalty to win the game as Captain Shafick Kaggimu failed to convert from 12 yards.
This is the Tax Collectors fourth draw of the season and they currently remain unbeaten after six games.
URA started strongly asking all the questions and had their first sight of goal when Vitalis Tabu shot wide from a free-kick.
In the third minute, Peter Lwasa capitalized on 3 mistake to run through on goal but his effort was saved brilliantly by Hillary Jomi in the visitor’s goal.
Nyamityobora continued to be on the back foot throughout the early exchanges and on 11 minutes, Lwasa forced the game’s first corner as his cross was turned out by Alex Komakech.
The Tax Collectors continued to pin Nyamityobora back and Shafick Kaggimu unleashed a fierce shot from outside the area but Jomi touched it onto the crossbar much to the relief of the visitors.
Nyamityobora started growing into the game and on 18 minutes, they had their first sniff on the URA goal as Arinaitwe blazed over from a free-kick inside 20 30 yards.
Their first real chance, however, came on the half-hour mark as Akandwanawo sent in a long cross from the left but 15 failed to control it while one on one with James Alitho in the Tax Collectors’ goal and the custodian collected comfortably.
At the other end, Lwasa missed again. First failing to hit the target from a header following Vitalis Tabu’s delivery from a corner and then tapping wide with the goal at his mercy after he was teed up inside the area by Kaggimu.
With eight minutes of the first half to play, Tabu sent in another corner from the left and after Nyamityobora failed to clear their lines, Kaggimu could not capitalize as he dragged his effort agonizingly wide of the left-hand post.
Sam Simbwa’s side who had clearly dominated the first 45 minutes had another chance to take the lead with two minutes to play but once again could not hit the target as Kaggimu blasted over from just outside the area.
The rest of the half went with no proper events to write home about and referee Ali Sabira sent both sides back into the dressing rooms for the halftime break.
At the start of the second half, URA continued from where they had left of in the first, dominating possession and also saw Ronald Musana blaze over from distance inside two minutes.
Moments later, the first yellow card of the game was shown to Musana after he tripped Akandanwaho as the forward tried to rally his side forward during a counter attack.
On 51 minutes, URA made the first substitution of the game, taking off Siraje Ssentamu and replacing him with former Tooro United midfielder Abdallah Nyanzi. Moments later the visitors also made a switch of their own as Ivan Mbowa replaced Ebong Lameck.
On 53 minutes, Mathiew Odong struck from distance but his effort was comfortably saved by Jomi.
The Tax Collectors looked to be tiring and Nyamityobora started to create a few chances of their own and at the hour mark, Patrick Gonahasa sent in a goal bound shot which was headed out for a corner by his name-sake, Mbowa. However, the resultant corner was fruitless.
The best chance of the second half fell to 15 who pounced on Musana’s lazily headed back-pass but could not convert while under pressure from Alitho.
Nyamityobora’s Derrick Kiggundu was also booked with 14 minutes to play after fouling Kaggimu outside the area.
In a desperate move to try and find the winner, Simbwa replaced the tired Tabu with Robert Mukongotya.
With seven minutes to play, URA were awarded a penalty after Kaggimu was brought down inside the area by make-shift right back Ibrahim Pengere. The URA skipper picked himself up and took the spot which was saved comfortably by Jomi.
That was the last meaningful piece of action as the two side settled for a point in the end.
The draw takes URA to 10 points while Nyamityobra have now accumulated four from their first six games.
