By 
Record champions, Express and KCCA FC played out to a goalless draw in the Stanbic Uganda Cup quarterfinal first leg tie at Betway Muteesa II Stadium, Wakulukuku on Wednesday.
Nothing was found to separate the two sides who will be meeting for the second leg in Lugogo next week.
The visitors started the brightest and fashioned the first attempt at goal in the second minute, but Charles Lwanga put his effort just wide.
Moments later on the other end, Express got a chance of their own but Geoffrey Lwesibawa failed to connect well with a Martin Kiiza’s cross from left flank to sky it above the crossbar.
Express goalkeeper, Denis Otim then made a brilliant save to stop Herbert Achai’s header when he parried it away for a corner kick after an excellent cross by Musa Ramathan.
Two minutes later, Express were denied an opener after Arthur Kiggundu’s effort was cleared off on the line with the KCCA goalkeeper, Charles Lukwago already beaten.
KCCA had the last realistic attempt of the opening half but Hassan Musana squandered a brilliant chance after he was put through, following a Gift Ali and Ashraf Mugume’s interplay.
The game went into the break with nothing on the scoreboard to separate the two joint-record champions.
The closing half started in a cagey manner with both sides taking a more cautious approach to the game, limiting their opponents to just a few chances upfront
The first lethal attempt in the second half came in the 79th minute and fell to the Red Eagles, but Peter Magambo made a late ditch clearance to deny Kiiza’s deflected shot from finding the back of the net.
A minute later, it was Lukwago who was KCCA FC’s saviour as he parried away Kambale’s exquisite free-kick for a corner kick following a foul on the striker just outside the box.
At the end of the 90 minutes, referee Ssali Mashoodi blew the whistle and in a goalless draw, it ended in a “battle for the 11th title” first-leg clash.
