BA Stars dump League Leaders, Chelsea

Sunyani, (B/A) March 21, GNA - Relegation-haunted B.A. Stars on Sunday brought smiles to the faces of their home supporters when they beat Premier League Leaders Chelsea F/C 2-0 in their Glo League match at the Sunyani Coronation Park.

Tottering BA Stars scored both goals in the first half. After squandering two begging chances in the first two minutes of the match due to lack of concentration by Mamudu Suleman and Mawule Togbolo, B.A. Stars finally opened the scoring through their dependable striker Attakora Gyimah in the fifth minute when his perfect header beat goalkeeper Ernest Sowah. Chelsea accepted the challenge and for the next five minutes Yaw Alexander, Emmanuel Clottey, Ebenezer Ofori, Eric Agyeman and Emmanuel Banahene combined effectively up-front and could have erased the goal deficit but experienced goalkeeper James Nanor of B.A. Stars stood firm as he made some hair-raising saves.

In the 10th minute, B.A. Stars' Sammy Adams' header was saved by goalkeeper Sowah while in the 24th minute Alen Shera's close-range shot hit the bar and was cleared to safety by a Stars defender. The persistent attacks by the home team seemed to have confused the Chelsea defenders and it therefore came as no surprise when Emmanuel Minta in the 32nd minute headed home his side's second goal. The game from then became an all Chelsea affair but excellent goalkeeping by Nanor denied Emmanuel Banahene and Clottey in the latter part of the first half to get even a consolation goal. Sensing danger, Chelsea made some changes on resumption of the second half and played a more determined game but goalkeeper Nanor as usual stood between them and a goal till the final whistle.