Block G wins the inaugural Hamz Cup and sh20m prize money

Jonathan Lukonde scored the decisive goal as Block G beat Block F 1-0 in the final to win the inaugural edition of the Hamz Cup, one of five football tournaments with a total cash prize fund of sh450m.

The champions, Block G, walked away with the sh20m cash prize, a trophy, and gold medals on Thursday night. The runners-up received sh15m, while the Kafumbe Road team, which beat White House 7-3 in the third-place playoff, pocketed sh10m. White House settled for sh5m.

The tournament, which has been ongoing for the last four months, will be followed by the Hamz Arcades Cup with another sh50m kitty, the Hamz Central Cup with the same cash prize, and then the Hamz Kampala Cup and the Hamz National Cups with sh100m and sh200m prize money, respectively.

The best goalkeeper of the Hamz Cup tournament Joram Nsubuga receives his plaque from Hamz Nakivubo Stadium Management Committee Chairman Rogers Mulindwa after the tournament at Nakivubo. Photo by Michael Nsubuga

“We are happy to have won, but we must thank the proprietor of the stadium who thought it wise to start this tournament. The event has helped us unite as traders and boosted our physical fitness,” said Bakkah Ssali, the captain of Block G.

“I also thank our Block G managers for their support, and I must thank God for enabling us to win. We are now focused on the next arcades tournament, which we also want to win.

We lost only one match in the preliminaries and conceded only three goals from seven matches, so we were expectant and prepared well with some of the best players who loved the team. We built the team on the foundation of friendship,” Ssali noted.

“I urge all those who participated not to buckle because this is just the start. As champions, we call upon all fans to come and support us in the next tournament. The tournament has given an opportunity to young, unknown players, and we are grateful to our management for their support.

“The tournament has enabled us to unite and make friends among the different traders, and I salute Hamis Kiggundu for this initiative.”

Joram Nsubuga, the captain of the losing side, urged their fans to stick with the team because they will go for it next year. Nsubuga scooped the best goalkeeper prize, which came with sh1m.

Badru Lusambya (left) celebrates after receiving the sh2m prize for Block G that had the most fans during the Hamz Cup tournament

The proprietor of the stadium, Hamis Kiggundu, said he was happy to have hosted all the teams and emphasized the importance of the facility to the community.

“This tournament was aimed at bringing football even closer to the people so that they can unite and bond as traders. We have several differences, but football unites all of us, and I’m happy that this has been successful and all the participants are happy,” Kiggundu said.

“We are also privileged that CAF has offered us the opportunity to host the CHAN U-17 and the CHAN qualifier between Uganda and Burundi. This is a good development because the stadium has now moved to hosting international matches as it is a first-class facility. I urge all Ugandans to come and support our teams,” he stated.

Hamz Nakivubo Stadium Management Committee Chairman Rogers Mulindwa thanked the team managers, players, and fans for turning up for the event and urged them to return and watch the CHAN U-17 matches and the CHAN qualifiers.

The series of tournaments started about a month ago with the sh50m prize money Hamz Cup for the different blocks that make up the Ham Shopping Mall located around the stadium.

Stadium proprietor Ham Kiggundu was not only keen on delivering a first-class facility but is also eager to see talent blossom in the country.

Finals

Block F 0 Block G 1

3rd Placed play-off

White House 3 Kafumbe 7

MVP

Eddy Bulwanyi (Kafumbe)

Top scorer

Bosco Kanyike (Block X) 15 goals

Best goalkeeper

Joram Nsubuga Jr (Block F)

Best Coach

Eddy Kasozi (Block F)

Fairplay Award

Block E/H

Team with largest fanbase 

Block G