The Black Challenge, Ghana’s amputee soccer powerhouse, has left for Egypt in grand style ahead of the start of the 2024 Africa Amputee Cup of Nations (AAFCON).
A formidable contingent of 25 players and their technical team embarked on an exhilarating journey from Accra, jetting off through Africa World Airlines and transiting through Lagos, Nigeria, before reaching their final destination – the land of the pharaohs.
Egypt hosts the 2024 AAFCON from May 18 to May 30, with 16 teams participating.
Donning the prestigious Accra2023 African Games attire, a symbol of their recent triumph at the 1st African Para Games, the Black Challenge exudes an aura of confidence that extends far beyond their physical limitations.
The Accra2023 1st African Para Games champions left with greater confidence in their ability to defend the trophy and qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
Having conquered the continent in 2021, these warriors on crutches are driven by an insatiable hunger to etch their names in the annals of amputee soccer once more.
Under the astute guidance of Coach Stephen Richard Obeng, the team concluded their rigorous pre-tournament camping in Accra on Friday, honing their skills and fortifying their mental resilience for the challenges that lie ahead.
The road to glory, however, is paved with formidable obstacles. Ghana is drawn in the daunting Group C alongside Kenya, Gambia, and Algeria.
The Black Challenge will face Gambia in their opener on Sunday, May 19th, 2024, at 21:30 hours in what promises to be an electrifying clash of titans.
As the Black Challenge touches down in Egypt, they carry with them the hopes and dreams of a nation that has witnessed their unwavering determination time and again. With each step, each pass, and each shot on goal, they represent the indomitable spirit of Ghana, a country that refuses to bow to adversity. The contingent comprises:
Razak Seidu
Atsu Abor
Raymond Frimpong
Richard Arthur Opentil
Emmanuel Allotey
Sampson Larbi Sarfo
Timothy Hayford
Mohammed Mubarak
Willam Brown
Fuseini Iddi
Cephas Anum
Hamza Mohammed
Yussif Yahaya
Richard Ekwam
Isaac Kwabena Eshun
Huzair Mohammed Harmis
Ali Jarra
Stephen Richard Obeng
Abdalla Sambian Bawa
James Kally
Emmanuel Akpabli
Samuel Obeng Ansah
Abdul-Basit Imoro (Administrative Officer, Ghana Paralympic Committee)
