Argentina is the new American Blind Football champion! The title was won with a victory over old rival Brazil in the final of the 2022 IBSA Blind Football American Championship, which was decided in a penalty shoot-out following a draw (0-0) in regular time.

The atmosphere on the Predio Liga Cordobesa pitch was electric, with everyone waiting for the goals, which came only through penalties. Both teams tried to explore the weakest points of the opponent, and there were a pair of good opportunities for both sides to score, but the goalkeepers were inspired, like a warm-up for what was coming.

After the 30 minutes of regular time, drama came to the penalty shoot-out. Maximiliano Espinillo, from Argentina, was the first to shoot and score. Next came Cássio Reis, from Brazil, who scored too, keeping the suspense alive. Argentinian jersey number 8, Ignacio Oviedo, came next and didn’t miss his chance, leaving the score at 2-1 for the home national team. Raimundo Nonato, one of the top scorers from Brazil, followed and missed his chance. Manuel Lopez (Argentina) missed too, and Jardel Soares (Brazil) also shot in the post, which made the ball go out, which made the crowd go euphoric.

The first match of the last day of competition was to decide the winner of the bronze medal. Colombia won against Chile (2-0), but the half-time score was 0-0. The goals came in the second half, and the first was scored by Jhon Gonzalez in the sequence of a free-kick on the left side of the pitch. A few minutes after, Jorge Farías (Chile) got a red card and made everything harder for his team. Despite numerous attempts, Colombia’s second goal came only a few seconds before the final whistle. Juan David Perez’s penalty kick closed the final score.

Gracia ‘Poker’ Sosa
The pitch opened the doors to a women’s game between the final and the bronze medal match. Argentina’s national team, named Las Murcielagas (the Batwomen team), played against a selection of players from the rest of America. The captain of Argentina, Gracia Sosa, pulled the spotlights on herself by scoring four goals in the match and leaving the fifth to her teammate Yohana Aguilar.

Final classification
1st Argentina
2nd Brazil
3rd Colombia
4th Chile
5th Peru
6th Mexico

This means that Chile and Peru will also be present in the 2023 IBSA Blind Football Intercontinental Cup; Argentina, Brazil, and Colombia will be playing in the 2023 IBSA World Games, in Birmingham; and Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, and Chile (as host) will be playing in the 2023 Para Pan American Games, in Santiago.