England Blind Men's team win IBSA Nations Cup 2025 title

The England men’s Blind squad won the IBSA Nations Cup 2025 in India, after a last-gasp winner sealed a 1-0 victory over Iran in the tournament final.

The Para Lions met Iran on Wednesday afternoon for the second time in the competition, following a 0-0 draw in the group stage, and it looked as though the same scoreline would be registered as the game approached full time and England having missed a late penalty after Rainbow Mbguani saw his spot-kick fly narrowly wide of the post.  

But with just less than one second left on the clock, goalkeeper Dylan Malpas rolled the ball out to the left for Eesa Amjid. He drifted past a defender before cutting inside and past two more defenders and firing home into the bottom corner to prompt wild celebrations both on and off the pitch as the Para Lions landed the title.

England travelled to India for the tournament, which serves as preparation for next year's European Championships, and was staged at the United Sports Centre in Kakkanad in Kochi between 25 September and 1 October.

They kick-started their campaign with a 6-0 win over the Korean Republic on Thursday 25 September and put in a dominant display in their opening game.

Adam Bendall’s team went into the break a goal to the good courtesy of Roy Turnham who broke the deadlock.

And there were a flurry of goals in the second period as Amjid doubled England’s advantage before Turnham added his second and the Para Lions’ third of the game.

Oliver Johnson made it four before Amjid bagged a brace and Mbguani put the icing on the cake to cap off an impressive performance and make it six.

On day two, the Para Lions were held to a 0-0 draw by Iran in an entertaining game with both goalkeepers proving their worth with a series of saves throughout.

Saturday morning saw England back in action with their third game, when a goal from Efe Shimwell proved to be the winner against Italy.

With the hosts in opposition on Sunday evening, England found themselves a goal down against India before goals from Shimwell and Turnham put the Para Lions 2-1 up at the break. And Amjid added a third after half time to seal a third win from four games. 

And after beating Poland 2-0 in their final group game, with both goals scored by Shimwell, the Para Lions advanced to the final of the competition where they sealed the title in dramatic fashion.

See the Para Lions’ ten-man squad for IBSA Nations Cup.