This week in sports has been a rollercoaster ride of emotions, with heartbreak for Ghanaian teams and history made elsewhere.
From the Black Starlets falling to a familiar foe to a record-breaking feat on the African continent, here’s a look at the most captivating stories:
Black Starlets crash out of U-17 AFCON qualifiers
Ghana’s U-17 national team, the Black Starlets, have suffered yet another semi-final defeat at the WAFU Zone B U-17 Cup of Nations. This 2-1 loss to Burkina Faso on Saturday (25 May) ends their dreams of qualifying for the 2025 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
This is a familiar heartbreak for Ghanaian fans. The Starlets haven’t reached the AFCON finals since 2017, and Burkina Faso has been their nemesis in recent years. The Starlets fell to the same opponent in the 2022 WAFU Zone B tournament, missing out on the 2023 AFCON.
Following the defeat, Starlets head coach Laryea Kingston announced his resignation, citing that the decision was made during a recent UEFA U-16 development tournament.
Black Bombers face uphill battle for Olympic qualification
The Ghana national boxing team, the Black Bombers, got off to a mixed start at the World Olympic Boxing Qualifiers in Bangkok, Thailand.
Flyweight boxer Theophilus Allotey, a bronze medalist at the 13th African Games, secured a hard-fought victory and advanced to the round of 32.
However, featherweight Amadu Mohammed (a gold medalist at the 13th African Games) and super heavyweight Mark Kojovi Ahondjo were both defeated.
This means two of the six-member Black Bombers team have already been eliminated from contention for a spot at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Manchester United stuns City to clinch FA Cup
In a dramatic upset, Manchester United defeated their city rivals Manchester City 2-1 in the FA Cup final on Saturday (25 May).
Teenagers Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo put United in control before halftime. Despite a valiant effort from City in the second half, including a consolation goal from Jérémy Doku, United held on for the historic victory.
Al Ahly reigns supreme in Africa once more
Egyptian giants Al Ahly claimed a record-extending 12th African Champions League title with a 1-0 aggregate victory over Esperance.
The win marks their fourth Champions League triumph in five years and extends their unbeaten run in continental competition to a staggering 22 games.
