The Akropong School for the Blind dominated the 2025 Help Dunya E.V. Goalball Youth Cup, held at the Lincoln Community School in Abelenkpe, Accra, by winning both the girls’ and boys’ tournaments in commanding fashion.
In the girls’ final, Akropong overwhelmed the Cape Coast School for the Deaf and Blind with an 8-0 victory. The team’s precision, coordination and defensive discipline left their opponents little opportunity to respond. Teams from the Ho New Horizon Foundation for the Blind and the Avakpodome Three Kings School for the Blind placed third and fourth respectively.
The boys’ final was a much tighter contest. Akropong edged Ho New Horizon Foundation by 1-0, a result secured by a somewhat controversial goal that deflected in off the post. Despite protests from the opposing coaches, the goal stood and handed Akropong the overall tournament double.
Organised jointly by Football‑In‑Your‑Life and German NGO Help Dunya E.V., the two-day tournament brought together four schools for visually impaired youth,
Akropong, Ho New Horizon, Cape Coast, and Avakpodome, with the aim of promoting sports inclusion and development among visually impaired students in Ghana.
Captain of the winning Akropong team described the victory as the result of dedication and teamwork, expressing delight and urging all schools to maintain training in preparation for a title defence. The team’s head coach, Maxwell Asante Kwarteng, hailed his side’s commitment and called on the National Sports Authority to create more opportunities for athletes with visual impairments, emphasising the importance of competition for skill development.
Mr Yaw Ampofo Ankrah, Director-General of the NSA and guest of honour at the event, commended the organisers for their initiative and stressed the need for greater collaboration among stakeholders to grow sports for the visually impaired. German deputy national goalball coach Sebastian Müller, also present, praised the young athletes for their talent and enthusiasm, while noting the need for more training to take their skills to the next level.
Organisers hailed the 2025 edition of the tournament a significant success, marked by high levels of sportsmanship, competition and camaraderie, and expressed optimism that future editions will attract more schools and further strengthen inclusion of visually impaired youth through sport.
