Mbalangu returns to the “Slaughter House” as NEC hosts URA at Lugogo

Uganda Premier League

Friday
At 4pm
UPDF v Mbarara City
At 8pm
NEC v URA

Friday 
Lugazi v UPPC
Vipers v Kitara

Saturday
Calvary v Buhimba
SC Villa v KCCA

Vocal tactician Hussein Mbalangu will be the central figure when URA FC lock horns with NEC FC tonight under the floodlights at Philip Omondi Stadium, Lugogo, in what promises to be an entertaining Uganda Premier League (UPL) encounter.

For Mbalangu, this is more than just another league fixture. It is a return to the ground he once turned into a fortress during his time as NEC head coach, a venue he nicknamed the “Slaughter House” after his side made it notoriously difficult for visiting teams to survive.

Across two seasons in charge, Mbalangu transformed the National Enterprise Corporation-sponsored outfit into one of the most difficult sides to play against in the league.

In the 2023/2024 campaign, NEC reached the Uganda Cup final in their debut season, beating more established clubs.

He then guided them to a second-place finish in the 2024/2025 UPL season, narrowly losing the title to Vipers SC by just two points. That achievement secured NEC a historic place in the CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round.

However, a difficult start to the current 2025/2026 campaign led to his dismissal, with the club turning to Badru Kaddu as his replacement. Mbalangu has since taken charge of The Tax Collectors, where he is under pressure to turn around the club’s inconsistent league form.

URA head into tonight’s clash placed 11th on the table with 22 points, a worrying position compared to NEC, who occupy seventh place with 34 points.

Despite their league struggles, Mbalangu’s side will draw confidence from their recent Uganda Cup success, having eliminated KCCA FC 4-2 on penalties to reach the semifinals.

In contrast, NEC suffered heartbreak in the same competition, losing 4-3 on penalties to Vipers at Lugogo. Nevertheless, their league form has been outstanding.

The “Diehards” are unbeaten in 11 matches, winning six and drawing five, with key players such as Richard Basangwa, Muhammed Kagawa Ssenoga, Tony Atukunda, and Joseph Seremba playing pivotal roles in their resurgence.

URA, who fell 3-1 to Express FC in their last league outing, will rely on the likes of Isma Mugulusi, David Ssemujju, Bruno Bunyaga, and Innocent Kisolo to inspire a response.

The last meeting between the two sides ended in a 1-1 draw back in October when Mbalangu was still in charge of NEC, adding further intrigue to tonight’s contest as the tactician seeks to prove a point against his former employers.