Ghanaian quartet shine as Chelsea cruise to Europa Conference League knockout stages
Chelsea’s 3-1 victory over FC Astana on Thursday, December 12, 2024, in the UEFA Europa Conference League was significantly influenced by four talented youngsters of Ghanaian descent.
Josh Acheampong, Tyrique George, Ato Ampah, and Samuel Rak-Sakyi proved instrumental in securing the Blues’ progression to the last 16 of the competition.
Enzo Maresca, Chelsea’s head coach, placed his faith in the quartet, giving Rak-Sakyi and Tyrique George starting berths.
The duo had already made their debuts in the competition and once again impressed with their composure and skill.
Acheampong also started the game following the resolution of his contractual issues, delivering a solid performance across the full 90 minutes.
The spotlight, however, fell on Accra-born winger Ampah, who made his first-ever Chelsea appearance.
Introduced as a second-half substitute for Pedro Neto, Ampah added dynamism and flair to the Chelsea attack, marking a memorable debut.
Chelsea’s young squad, spearheaded by Spanish talent Marc Guiu, sealed the game early with three first-half goals, maintaining their dominance despite frigid conditions in Almaty.
The win keeps Chelsea atop the league phase standings with 15 points from five matches.
The team will round off this stage with a game against Shamrock Rovers on December 19.
