Sports
Bayern clinch 8th consecutive Bundesliga title
Bayern Munich secured their eighth consecutive Bundesliga title with a 1-0 win against Werder Bremen on Tuesday.
The victory opened a 10-point gap between Bayern and second-placed Borussia Dortmund who, despite having three games in hand, cannot catch the champions.
A first-half goal by Robert Lewandowski saw the German powerhouse become the first club in a major European league to win the title after returning to play amid the coronavirus pandemic. Bayern are still in pursuit of a Treble, as they will play for the German Cup and remain alive in the Champions League.
Amid a rainy backdrop at Bremen’s Weserstadion, the Bavarians gradually gained ground and broke the deadlock with defender Jerome Boateng‘s superb pass for Lewandowski, who turned in the box and grabbed his 31st goal of the campaign just before halftime.
The Polish forward, who scored for Bayern on his return from a one-match suspension, is chasing the 40-goal record for one season set by Gerd Mueller in 1972 and had a string of good chances after the break to add to his tally.
But it was keeper Manuel Neuer who proved key for Bayern after they were left with 10 men for the final 10 minutes following the dismissal of Alphonso Davies, making a sensational one-handed save to ensure yet another league title.
With fans still barred from games, the players celebrated their title in the empty stadium.
A German ban on mass gatherings mean that the club does not know when it will be able to celebrate the win with its supporters. It has yet to be announced when DFL CEO Christian Seifert will present the champions with the Meisterschale, the trophy for the Bundesliga title.
Bayern Munich won their past 11 Bundesliga games and picked up 52 of a possible 54 points since losing 2-1 at Borussia Monchengladbach in early December. Only RB Leipzig was able to take points off them with a goalless draw at the Allianz Arena in early February. –ESPN
A step closer to glory awaits six Ghana Premier League (GPL) club sides and two Division One clubs as they battle for spots at the semi-finals stage of the 2025-26 MTN FA Cup this weekend at the Cape Coast Stadium and the Nana Fosu Gyeabour Park in Bechem.
Dreams FC, the 2022-2023 champions, will clash with Heart of Lions in the quarter-finals at the Cape Coast Stadium tomorrow at pm.
Heart of Lions are going through a difficult spell in the league, having lost ground on their title aspirations that started brightly.
Dreams FC thrashed Lions 3-0 in the reverse fixture of the GPL game in January after losing 1-0 in the first round tie, and tomorrow’s game comes in to settle the scores between the two sides this season.
Although struggling, Lions lie two places above Dreams’ 12th position on the league log and will look to take that inspiration into the game.
The day’s other game will see two-time champions Medeama SC battle Access Bank Division One League (DOL) Zone Three side Attram De Visser at the same venue at 7pm.
The GPL leaders Medeama SC are in the chase for a double this season and will chase a win to appease their fans.
After defeating Asante Kotoko 4-2 on penalties in the Round of 16, Aduana FC will seek to account for Access Bank DOL Zone One B campaigners, Techiman Liberty Youth, today.
Aduana FC are in the hunt for a double this season as they are currently third on the GPL table, trailing leaders Medeama SC with five points.
Having been decisive in matches against Nsuatre FC, Victory Club Warriors and Real Tamale United to get this far, the best in the annals of the club’s history, coach Ezekiel Nii Yeboah of Liberty Youth would be out to cause an upset.
At the Nana Fosu Gyeabour Park in Bechem tomorrow, another interesting pairing is set to play out as the all-Premier League affair between Nations FC and Berekum Chelsea takes centre stage.
By Raymond Ackumey
The Black Starlets will intensify preparations for the upcoming 2026 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations with a double-header of friendly matches against FC Samartex 1996 at the Nsenkyire Sports Arena, Samraboi.
The national U-17 side will first take on the youth team of Samartex on Saturday at4pm, as the technical team continues to assess player combinations and sharpen match readiness ahead of the continental tournament.
The following day, Sunday, March 15, the Starlets will return to the same venue to face the senior side of Samartex in another crucial preparatory fixture, also scheduled for 4pm.
These matches form part of a series of build-up games designed to test the squad’s depth, tactical discipline and competitive edge as they prepare for the AFCON challenge.
The Starlets have already played several friendly matches during their training programme, including encounters against True Democracy FC, Port City FC, Attram De Visser Academy, Semper Fi FC and Golden Kick FC.
The upcoming double-header is expected to provide another valuable opportunity for the technical team to fine-tune strategies and evaluate players as Ghana’s young talents continue their preparations for the 2026 U-17 AFCON.
