Lioli star striker Swithbert Kum was the big winner at the Maseru Community Cup awards ceremony on Tuesday at Global Cue Hall as he went home with M7 000 in prize money.
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Kum’s stellar performances in the Maseru Community Cup two weeks ago earned him multiple accolades, including the Man-of-the-Match in Lioli’s semi-final against Bantu, which netted him M1 500, and another M1 500 for his match-winning display in the final against Matlama.
The Cameroonian striker was also recognised as the Player of the Tournament, earning him an additional M2 000, and he topped off his earnings with another M2 000 as the tournament’s top goal scorer.
Rethabile Mokokoana of Matlama was the second-highest earner of the knockout competition. He took home M3 500 – M1 500 for being the man of the match in Matlama’s semi-final win over Linare and M2 000 for being named Defender of the Tournament.
Lioli’s Mokoteli Mohapi was awarded M2 000 as the Midfielder of the Tournament while Matlama received M5 000 as a club for having the highest number of supporters that purchased tickets for the tournament.
The Maseru Community Cup was a one-day knockout competition held at Bambatha Tšita Sports Arena on August 11 and it was organised by Molefi Global Agency (MGA) and the Nthomeng Majara Foundation (NMF).
The event aimed to unite Basotho through sports and raise funds to support orphanages.
Speaking after Tuesday’s awards ceremony, Kum expressed his surprise at winning so many awards, especially considering he just recently returned from a lengthy spell on the sidelines because of injury.
Kum said he remained fit despite his time away from competitive football by staying focused on his return.
“I actually wasn’t expecting this, but we (the team) have been working hard, so when opportunities like this arise, we have to seize them. Throughout the pre-season, our coach (Motheo Mohapi) emphasized the importance of staying prepared, especially when I was announced (in the squad) for the tournament. He did what was necessary, and we were ready,” Kum said.
Looking ahead to the Alliance Tournament on Sunday, Kum emphasized the importance of confidence in competition.
“It’s always good to have confidence when going into any competition because you never know what the outcome will be,” Kum said.
“Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. I’m just looking forward to winning.”
As for the upcoming league season, Kum said he feels no pressure. He acknowledged that football has its ups and downs but he remains optimistic about the season ahead which is scheduled to kick off next month.
“It’s going to be an amazing season, although it won’t be easy. We have to stay focused and disciplined,” he said.
Kum also shared his belief that Lioli brought him on board because they saw something special in him, and he is committed to delivering strong performances.
The striker expressed his desire to win a Premier League winner’s medal, noting that it would be a significant achievement for him. “If I can win the Premier League, I would be really happy,” he said.
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