Mbarara City were left to reflect on another missed opportunity in their fight for survival after surrendering a commanding two-goal advantage to draw 2-2 with Maroons in a Uganda Premier League encounter at Rwamwanja Stadium on Tuesday.
What had started as a promising afternoon for the Ankole Lions turned into frustration, as their early control of the game faded under a determined second-half response from the visitors. Mbarara City looked sharp from the outset and were rewarded in the 14th minute when Clinton Kamugisha opened the scoring, finishing off a well-worked move initiated by Thomas Kakaire.
The same attacking partnership would strike again later in the half, with Kamugisha doubling the lead after once more benefiting from Kakaire’s creativity, sending the home side into the break with a comfortable 2-0 cushion. At that stage, Mbarara City appeared in control and heading towards a vital win that could have eased pressure in the relegation battle. However, the game shifted dramatically after the restart.
Maroons returned with renewed intensity and quickly began to trouble the hosts. The comeback was sparked in the 53rd minute when former Mbarara City player Marvin Oshaba punished his old side, pulling one back to shift momentum firmly in favour of the visitors.
As pressure mounted, Mbarara City struggled to regain their first-half rhythm, and Maroons continued to push forward in search of an equaliser. Their persistence paid off in the 78th minute when Dickson Niwamanya found the breakthrough, calmly levelling the contest and silencing the home support.
The final stages saw both sides cautious not to concede again, with Mbarara City unable to recover the control they had earlier established.
The draw leaves Mbarara City stuck in 14th position on 17 points, still dangerously close to the relegation zone, while Maroons climb to ninth place on 30 points, extending their mid-table stability.
