Top XI facts About Wa All Stars

In what was a historic season for Wa All Stars, Sports Crusader’s Saani Abacha chronicles the top XI facts about the Northern Blues.

From their nomadic campaign that saw them travel across eight of the ten administrative regions to their variety of goal scorers, we recap the historic feat chalked by the division’s most travelled side.

1. With a total of 51 points to show for their efforts, Wa All Stars finished the season as the number one club. The Wa-based side kept their cool to end a nine-year wait for domestic glory with a deciding 2-1 win over Aduana Stars in Wa. Also, the Northern Blues have benefited from one own goal across the season(scored by Isaac Baah of TCFC)in a 2-0 win at the Wa Park.

2. Wa All Stars have failed to score in just two of the eight regions they have featured in across the campaign. Shut outs in Western region and the central region remains the only centres not to have awarded Wa All Stars a goal.

3. Wa All Stars’ longest winning streak across the season ended with three wins on two different occasions. Successive wins over New Edubiase, Hearts of Oak and Ebusua Dwarfs was halted by a painful defeat away to Bechem United.

Another run saw them win in succession against Kotoko and back-to-back wins over Berekum Chelsea.

4. The Ghanaian champions have won in four of the eight regions across the seasons. Triumphant trips to Greater Accra, Brong Ahafo region and Ashanti region added to their 11 wins on home soil. The youthful looking side ended Aduana Stars’ three year home invincibility before downing Berekum Chelsea, Accra Hearts of Oak and New Edubiase away from home.

5. Wa All Stars picked at least one point in five of the eight regions toured. Wins for Hasaacas and Medeama over All Stars, followed by a 1-0 defeat in Cape Coast alongside the 2-1 deficit at Sogakope in an otherwise impressive away record all season.

6. The newly-crowned winners of the 2016 GPL found the back of the net in six different regions in their energy sapping 16, 879.4 km travelled. Also notable, is their highest point earned from one region away from home (six points from Brong Ahafo region).

7. The longest unbeaten run across the season saw All Stars play seven games without defeat. Wins over Hasaacas, Aduana, New Edubiase, Hearts of Oak and Ebusua Dwarfs were dimmed by two drawn games against Liberty and Dreams FC.

8. The division’s most nomadic side stopped at almost every single region, except Upper East and Northern Region. They also dropped eight points at home all season.

9. A total of nine players made their league debut for the Wa-based side. From David Sandan Abagna through to Alhassan Rashid, All Stars handed topflight debut to 9 different players.

10. Ten different players found the back of the net for All Stars all season. The variety of scorers was highlighted by the goal distribution ratio(2 goals from defenders, 10 from the midfielders, 18 from the strikers and 1 own goal). Richard Arthur, Emmanuel Ocran, Atta Kofi Yeboah, Kweku A. Baffoe, Mathew Kelvin Andoh, Maxwell Baako, Paul Asare, Saddick Alhassan, Ismail Abdul Ganiu, Mumuni Wahidu and an own goal from Isaac Baah.

11. Jersey number eleven for the Champions featured the least of the remaining players left with the club at the end of the season. Moomin Khalid managed 20 minutes in the league. The fewest amongst the remaining players.

Written by : Saani Abacha

Follow on Twitter: @saani_abacha

Top XI facts About Wa All Stars