The Ayawaso Cerebral Palsy Football Club, representing Team Ghana, beat their Togolese counterparts 2-0 in an exciting international friendly match at the Olympic Stadium in Lome last Saturday.
The 28-member Ayawaso contingent, comprised of 8 officials and 20 players, was led by Emmanuel Akpabli, President of the Ayawaso CP Football Club and Technical Director of the Ghana CP Sports Federation. The match attracted some good patronage at Lome’s Olympic Stadium.
Captain Evans Somuah opened the scoring with a beautiful tap-in during the first half, giving Ghana a crucial lead.
In the second half, Ghana sealed the win with a well-executed corner kick, expertly headed home by Emmanuel Baidoo. Ghana dominated Togo in all departments of the game.
According to Akpabli, the friendly match also serves as a qualifier for the 2026 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in South Africa.
Ghana’s impressive performance has boosted their confidence and chances of qualifying for the tournament.
Cerebral Palsy football is a version of football (soccer) adapted for athletes with Cerebral Palsy (CP), a group of permanent disorders that affect movement, muscle tone, and coordination.
The sport is governed by the International Federation of Cerebral Palsy Football (IFCPF) and is played globally. Ghana is one of the few African countries that has adopted CP football.
According to Mr. Akpabli, this is the team’s first international match in history, and they hope to build upon it by engaging in other matches in Nigeria and later going far to South Africa, North Africa, and possibly to Europe, Asia, and elsewhere.
By Sammy Heywood Okine
