NEC has revealed six players remain sidelined with injuries as they welcome Entebbe UPPC tonight in the Uganda Premier League at Lugogo.
Jacob Okao, Joseph Dhata, Joseph Sseremba, Jonathan Oluka, Hudson Mbalire and Emmanuel Ajo are still sidelined.
Okao is five months into rehabilitation after undergoing Achilles tendon reconstruction surgery and is expected to return in about two months.
Dhata is recovering from an ulna fracture and could be back in around five weeks.
Midfielder Seremba is dealing with a right ankle sprain and may return to full training in two weeks.
Oluka is recovering from a medial collateral ligament sprain and meniscal injury with a return expected in about a month.
Mbalire on the other hand, is already on a return-to-play programme after a left foot contusion and could be back soon.
Ajo is also recovering from a medial collateral ligament and meniscal injury and is expected to return in about five weeks.
But the club is welcoming back Richard Basangwa, Muhammad Kagawa and Pius Obuya for the clash.
Coach Badru Kaddu, ahead of the match, stated: “They (Entebbe UPPC) are ahead of us and we are prepared very well, we have also been having a run where we didn’t concede and also score goals, if we could go by that attitude. We’re going to put up a good show and have a good result out of the game.”
“If we are to compete, we told the boys that every team that comes across we must go against it and they are well prepared; attitudely and the motivation is also very good.”
NEC, seventh with 30 points, sit five points adrift of Entebbe UPPC in fifth on the 16-team log.
Junior Samuel Kawawa scored the only goal as Entebbe UPPC beat NEC in the first round meeting last year in October.
