Double glory for Akropong School for the Blind as they dominate Goalball Youth Cup in Accra
Akropong School for the Blind emerged as the standout winners at the 2025 Help Dunya E.V. Goalball Youth Cup, sweeping both the boys’ and girls’ titles in an impressive display of skill and teamwork at the Lincoln Community School in Abelenkpe, Accra.
In the girls’ final, Akropong produced a stunning performance, overpowering Cape Coast School for the Deaf and Blind with a resounding 8-0 victory. The one-sided encounter saw Akropong dominate from start to finish, with their precision, coordination, and defensive discipline leaving their opponents with little room to respond. Ho New Horizon Foundation for the Blind and Avakpodome Three Kings School for the Blind placed third and fourth, respectively.
The boys’ final proved far more competitive. Akropong edged Ho New Horizon Foundation 1-0 in a tense encounter decided by a disputed goal that deflected in off the post. Despite protests from Ho’s coaches, the goal stood, securing Akropong a hard-fought double at the two-day tournament.
The event, jointly organised by Football-In-Your-Life and German non-governmental organisation Help Dunya E.V., brought together four schools for the visually impaired—Akropong, Ho New Horizon, Cape Coast, and Avakpodome—to promote inclusion and sports development among visually impaired youth.
Captain of the victorious Akropong team expressed delight at the achievement, describing the win as a result of dedication and teamwork. “We are overjoyed to have won the tournament. We call on all schools to keep training, and we hope to defend our title next year,” the captain said.
Head coach of Akropong School for the Blind, Maxwell Asante Kwarteng, hailed his team’s commitment and called on the National Sports Authority (NSA) to create more opportunities for athletes with visual impairments. “We’re thrilled with the win, and we call on the National Sports Authority to provide more competitions for schools for the visually impaired. This will help our students develop their skills and compete at a higher level,” he said.
The Director-General of the NSA, Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, who served as the guest of honour, lauded the organisers for their initiative. “I commend the organisers for this wonderful tournament. We need more of such events to promote sports for the visually impaired,” he stated. Mr Ankrah also urged collaboration between key stakeholders to ensure the continuous growth of the sport.
German Deputy National Goalball Coach, Sebastian Müller, who attended the event, was impressed by the display of skill and enthusiasm among the players. “I’m impressed by the talent of these young players. However, they need more training to develop their skills. I’m happy to see the passion and dedication on display,” he said.
The Event Coordinator, Eli Kondoh, also praised the level of competition and commitment from all participating schools. “I was impressed with the level of commitment shown by all participating teams and the high level of competition. Prior to the tournament, we visited each school to have drills with them together with our German coaches, and all players turned up well with what they learnt. That’s why we had such a competitive and good tournament worth promoting,” he explained.
The organisers described the 2025 edition as a huge success, marked by passion, sportsmanship, and teamwork. They expressed optimism that next year’s tournament would attract more participants and continue to promote sports inclusion and empowerment for the visually impaired in Ghana.
