Phoko, Sesinyi win big at BFL awards
Kabelo Boranabi | Monday July 25, 2022 16:00
Gaborone United (GU)’s goalkeeper, Phoko won the prestigious Player of the season award, beating competition from Sesinyi and teammate, Thatayaone Kgamanyane for a prize that carries a P50,000 pay cheque.
The goalkeeper has been one of the standouts GU players in the past campaign. He was ever present in the GU line-up having made all the 30 Premier League starts while keeping a record of 21 clean sheets.
The Reds conceded just 13 goals with Phoko between the posts in their championship winning season.
Phoko on the night also scooped the Goalkeeper of the season accolade ahead of Township Rollers’ Kabelo Dambe and Lesenya Malapela of Orapa United and took home P25,000 for the prize.
Galaxy’s forward, Sesinyi walked out of the awards ceremony with the biggest pocket. Sesinyi made away with a six figure pay cheque as he took home P102,000 on the evening. He was the league top goalscorer and pocketed P50,000 for the achievement.
Sesinyi was also voted the Players’ player of the season and won another P50,000. He was also included in the Best XI of the season and was gifted P2,000 for his efforts. GU’s coach, Innocent Morapedi was chosen the Coach of the Season for guiding the Reds to their first league title in 13 years while Security Systems’ defender, Tebogo Kopelang won the Young player of the season accolade.
GU captain, Tshepo Maikano is the defender of the season and Orapa United’s Gofaone Mabaya is the midfielder of the season. Speaking at the awards ceremony, BFL chairperson, Nicolas Zakhem was thankful to the league stakeholders for their assistance in hosting a ‘difficult’ league campaign. “This moment is about the stakeholders out there who made a difference in our league.
It was an unusual season as people out there were scared and terrified because of the COVID. But there were people out there who believed in us. We had a good season and finished on time. We also had two FA cups and the Charity Cup so it was very successful and it was because of our stakeholders. The teams also did their best on the field.
You saw that the league (championship) went down to the wire and that shows quality,” Zakhem said.
Full list of award winners: Referee of the season (P10,000) - Tirelo Mositwane Assistant Referee of the season (P5,000) - Lucky Kegakologetswe Women Referee of the season (P5,000) - Itumeleng Methikga Young Referee of the season (P5,000) - Leungo Tsogang Public Relations Officer of the season (P5,000) - Tankiso Morake (Jwaneng Galaxy) Team Manager of the Season (P5,000) - Owe Mmolawa (GU) Coach of the Season (P25,000) - Innocent Morapedi (GU) Goalkeeper of the Season (P25,000) - Goitseone Phoko (GU) Defender of the Season (P25,000) - Tshepo Maikano (GU) Midfielder of the Season (P25,000) - Gofaone Mabaya (Orapa United) Top Goalscorer (P50,000) - Thabang Sesinyi (Jwaneng Galaxy) Young Player of the Season (P25,000) - Tebogo Kopelang (Security Systems) Players' Player of the Season (P50,000) - Thabang Sesinyi (Jwaneng Galaxy) Player of the Season (P50,000) - Goitseone Phoko (GU) Team of the Season (P2,000 and All Kasi voucher each): Goitseone Phoko (GU), Mothusi Johnson (GU), Mosha Gaolaolwe (Rollers), Thato Kebue (GU), Alphord Velaphi (GU), Lebogang Ditsele (GU), Mpho Kgaswane (GU), Gilbert Baruti (Galaxy), Thabang Sesinyi (Galaxy), Thero Setsile (GU), Thatayaone Kgamanyane (GU) Chairman's award (P5,000 each): Killer Pass (Online football publication) Serefete ‘City’ Keagakwa (Journalist, Midweek Sun, Botswana Guardian & Botswana Television) VTM FC (Debswana First Division South club)