In a tightly contested match between Wakiso Giants and NEC, it was Wakiso Giants who emerged victorious with a narrow 1-0 win. The match had moments of skill, beautiful interplay in the middle of the park, and missed opportunities on both sides, but ultimately it was a solitary goal that made the difference.
The game kicked off with high intensity as Okocha put pressure on the defence, forcing an early corner. However, Ssesaazi Sulaiman’s delivery failed to find its target. We continued to press, with Acire attempting a cross from the dead ball of the corner only to be blocked for a throw-in. Despite our early efforts, we couldn’t capitalize on this chance.
Throughout the first half, there were instances of promising build-up play from NEC, with players like Thembo, Ssesaazi, Cromwel, and Okocha combining well in midfield. Ssenyonjo attempted a pacey run down the wing but was effectively dealt with by the our Atendele.
Acire provided dangerous deliveries into the box, with Dhata coming close to converting, but Wakiso Giants’ defence held firm.
The second half saw NEC introducing fresh legs with the introduction of Wahab and Kayanja. The new pair showed glimpses of promise but couldn’t find the breakthrough we desperately needed. Cromwel and Dhata unleashed powerful shots, but they were unable to find the target. Kavuma Marvin was later introduced to replace Joseph Dhata as we continued to push for an opner.
Meanwhile, Wakiso Giants seized their opportunity from a corner, with Kimera finding the back of the net to give his team the lead with the only clear chance the purple sharks had in the whole 90 minutes.
Despite trailing, NEC continued to push forward, creating several scoring opportunities. Rwothomio, Wahab, and Kavuma all came close to equalizing, with Kayanja forcing Wakiso Giant’s Ssekagya into a beautiful save after a powerful shot, Kavuma even hitting the woodwork late in the game. However, Wakiso Giants’ defence stood resolute, denying NEC any chance of finding the back of the net.
As the game progressed, we threw everything forward in search of an equalizer. Barni had a header cleared off the line and Acire came close from the resultant clearance but his effort was put into a corner. We conceded a counter attacker that would have resulted into a second goal for Wakiso Giants, however, Ssenyonjo made a poor pass to spare us further frustration.
In the end, despite our valiant efforts and numerous missed opportunities, Wakiso Giants held on to secure a hard-fought 1-0 victory. The result is surely a disappointing one for NEC, as we dominated possession and created several chances but were ultimately unable to find a way past Wakiso Giants’ resilient defence.
We missed out on the opportunity to go level on points with Bul, who drew with Kitara. Now, all our focus shifts to our next home game against Kitara FC on 4th April, 2024, at the MTN Omondi Stadium – Lugogo.