After a one-year hiatus from hosting duties, elite blind football returned to Hereford in spectacular fashion on Saturday 23 May, with the Royal National College for the Blind (RNC) and thePoint4 successfully playing host to the third leg of the European Blind Football League (EBFL).
On a beautiful, sunny day in Hereford, fans were treated to a masterclass of blind football. Entering the round as league leaders, RNC Hereford faced immense pressure to maintain their streak, but RNC capitalised on their home advantage to keep their position at the top of the league.
The tournament kicked off with a dominant display from Italian side A.S.D. Quarto Tempo Firenze, who defeated Dortmund BvB 4-1. However, the headline of the day belonged to the hosts. In Game 2, RNC Hereford put on a clinical performance against Pirsos Thessaloniki, finishing 5-0. RNC’s Captain, Azeem Amir, led by example with a hat-trick, Eesa Amjid added two goals to the tally, while Rainbow Mbuangi saw a penalty saved. Despite the scoreline, an injury-dogged Pirsos side, historically a tough opponent for the English team, gave a good account of themselves.
Newcomers to the EBFL, a young Polish National Team, used the tournament to gain competitive experience but found it tough going against seasoned opponents. They suffered a 3-0 defeat to Cécifoot Charleroi in Game 3 and a 4-0 loss to Firenze in Game 6. Meanwhile Dortmund bounced back from their opening loss to beat Pirsos 3-0 in Game 4.
RNC Hereford returned to the pitch for Game 5 against Charleroi, securing a 2-0 victory. The breakthrough came via a bit of good fortune when a soft shot on goal by Toby Addison slipped through the hands of the Charleroi goalkeeper. Eesa Amjid then sealed the win, striking the back of the net to make it 2-0.
The current EBFL standings are as follows:
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | Pts | GF | GA | GD |
| RNC Hereford | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 14 | 1 | 13 |
| A.S.D. Quarto Tempo Firenze | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 12 | 4 | 8 |
| Dortmund BvB | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 2 |
| Cécifoot Charleroi | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 3 |
| Pirsos Thessaloniki | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 10 | -10 |
| Blind Football Poland | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 16 | -16 |
What was a thrilling day of blind football was broadcast to a global audience, thanks to the high-quality coverage provided by BBA Media and media students from the University of Gloucestershire. We also extend our sincere thanks to Jones Scaffolding for donating the camera towers, as well as Asda, Morrisons, and Tesco for providing snacks and bottled water for the teams and staff. We are also incredibly grateful to the Herefordshire FA for delivering taster sessions and promoting opportunities within the game.
Finally, a huge thank you to Will Cheshire Photography for capturing so many memorable moments throughout the tournament.
The EBFL now heads into an international summer break. Competition will resume in the autumn, with Round 4 scheduled for 19 September in Krakow, Poland and the final leg on 3 October in Firenze, Italy. With momentum firmly on their side, the big question remains: Can RNC go all the way and bring home the European trophy for the third consecutive year?