By 
Result
- Ndejje (1)0-0(2) St Lawrence
On a tense Wednesday evening in Ndejje, St. Lawrence University (SLAU) fought their way into the University Football League semifinals after a hard fought goalless draw against Ndejje University.
The result was enough to see them advance, joining Uganda Martyrs University, who edged Nkumba on aggregate.
From the opening whistle, SLAU signaled their attacking intent. Just ten minutes in, Ziraba Ronnie picked out Kembo Osuman with a precise pass.
Kembo turned sharply, drove towards goal, and unleashed a fierce shot, but Ndejje’s goalkeeper Ocen Fred reacted swiftly to make the save. The visitors looked confident, pressing for an early breakthrough.
Six minutes later, Ziraba was at it again, linking up with Matege Innocent in the final third. Matege found space to shoot, but a Ndejje defender threw himself in the way to block the effort.
The hosts responded in the 22nd minute when Ebasu played a clever ball to Mutaka Joseph on the edge of the box, but his shot rolled agonizingly wide.
As the game progressed, the intensity grew. Two minutes past the hour mark, Hashakimana and Musinguzi Davis combined brilliantly on the left, with Musinguzi delivering a dangerous low cross into the box.
The ball flashed past the goalmouth, evading everyone, as Ndejje came close to breaking the deadlock.
SLAU continued pushing forward, and in the 38th minute, Matege showed great strength to hold off multiple challenges from Anyaka before driving into the box.
His low shot seemed destined for the back of the net, but Ocen once again came to Ndejje’s rescue with a fine save.
Moments before halftime, Mutaka whipped in a teasing cross to the back post, where Masinde Brighton fired just wide. The first half ended with both teams still searching for a goal.
Ten minutes into the second half, SLAU nearly found the opener. Kembo latched onto Ziraba’s well-weighted diagonal pass and struck a first-time effort, only to see it fly over Ocen’s crossbar.
Ndejje responded in the 62nd minute when Olupot forced Mohammed Kateete into a brilliant save from an Okello Ivan cross, with Hashakimana sending the rebound just wide.
As the match neared its climax, SLAU created another golden opportunity in the 72nd minute. Ziraba latched onto a long ball from Agaku before delivering a low cross to Matege, whose close-range effort was smothered by the ever-alert Ocen.
Six minutes later, Matege turned provider, whipping in a superb cross that Kembo controlled beautifully, but his strike veered off target.
With six minutes left, Ndejje launched a late surge, winning possession high up the pitch. The ball fell kindly for Okello Ivan, who struck a half-volley that forced a brilliant stop from Kateete. Despite a frantic final few minutes, neither side could find a breakthrough, and the match ended goalless.
SLAU’s disciplined display saw them advance to the semifinals, where they will join Uganda Martyrs University. Meanwhile, the first semifinal clash between Bugema and Muteesa remains undecided.
The University Football League action continues tomorrow as Islamic University in Uganda (IUIU) hosts Kampala University in Mbale, with more drama and excitement expected.
