Makerere University Business School were beaten for the first time in the 2022 Pepsi University Football League by St. Lawrence University.
Last year’s losing finalists edged the two time winners 2-1 in the first leg of the semifinal tie played at Kavule on Tuesday.
However, head coach Ali Zinda picked a positive from his side’s loss noting the importance of the away goal attained.
“We have lost our first game of the competition but this is a two-legged contest and this was the first leg meaning we still have another chance in the second leg to make amends,” Zinda said after the game.
“Playing away from home against such an opponent is not easy, but we managed to score an important goal on which we shall build when we host them and I am optimistic are going to finish the job at home,” he noted.
Benjamin Nazar gave the visitors to lead in the 57th minute before Bruno Bunyaga leveled matters for the hosts 10 minutes later while Michael Kayongo completed the comeback for the home team in the 73rd minute.
SLAU should have scored more than two goals but they squandered a host of chances despite being dominant throughout the game.
“We missed very many scoring opportunities but I am glad that the few chances we put away enabled us to win the game,” SLAU’s assistant coach Fred Bakisura stated after the game.
“MUBS are the best team in the competition therefore coming from a goal down to beat them shows how much effort the players put in.”
“We have one foot in the final but it is not yet over and we are going to polish the mistakes we made and go again into unfamiliar territory,” he added.
It was the first time SLAU was defeating MUBS given that the latter had beaten the former on both two occasions they had met in the 2017 group stages.
MUBS will host the second leg next week on Tuesday, November 1 in Nakawa and the winner on aggregate will face the victor on aggregate between Uganda Martyrs University and defending champions Uganda Christian University.
UCU edged UMU 1-0 in the first leg played in Mukono last week and the two will face off again on Thursday, October 27 in Nkozi.
