Football: Sunkiss’d division one-St Louis edge Anse Réunion, Light Stars beat St Michel |31 October 2005

St Louis took the lead through young Kenneth Khan in the sixth minute as they threatened to rip apart their opponents.

Anse Réunion though got their acts together but it was some wayward finishes that undermined their play. In the 15th minute, Andy Ernesta burst through on the left to rifle at St Louis goalie Eugene Valentin.

Fifteen minutes later, Yvelvany Rose nodded down a high ball to Malagasy Firinga Fahidany who looked offside but his shot was tipped over by goalie Valentin.

In the 33rd minute, Anse Réunion scored a real gem of a goal from a 30-metre free-kick. Fahidany produced a thunderbolt strike which almost broke the steel frame of the goal as the ball crashed into the net. Surely Fahidany’s cracker is one of the best goals seen here this season.

St Louis, who had Kenny Dubignon playing in the centre of defence, managed to weather the storm and in the 40th minute, Archille Henriette should have done better with Malagasy Ralida’s deflected shot.

Anse Réunion almost took the lead in the 43rd minute as Yelvanny Rose ran through and was tackled by goalie Valentin. The burly striker had a second bite of the cherry but Ralida cleared on the goalline with St Louis’ defence in disarray.

St Louis brought on Roy Julie for Philip Zialor in the second half and in the 47th minute, Julie failed to capitalise on a clear chance.

In the 63rd minute, Fahidany pounced on an error by Jean-Paul Adela but he blazed over.

Four minutes later, Roderick Rose set up Yelvanny Rose whose lob was too weak to beat goalie Valentin.

In a rare attack, St Louis regained the lead somewhat fortuitously. It started from Khan’s pass to Julie who was yards offside but was not signaled. Julie, in the clear, missed the ball but had the time for a second strike which crept into the net much to the disgust of the Anse Réunion players.

St Louis were also furious with referee Jourdan Benstrong in the 74th minute as he gave a free-kick to Anse Réunion in a dangerous position when it was clear that Yelvanny Rose had handled the ball in mid-air in his attempt to control it.
Fortunately for St Louis, Jocelyn fluffed the opportunity and was again guilty of a bad miss in the 77th minute after a Ralida and Adela mix-up which let him in.

Despite intense pressure, St Louis survived due to a large part to goalie Valentin who showed his true value to his team as he has been all season, propelling St Louis to a decent runners-up spot in the league.

Light Stars add to St Michel’s miserable season

Praslin side Light Stars added to St Michel’s poor season with a convincing 3-0 win at Stad Linite last Friday.

Neddy Rose started for the first time in two years after a knee injury kept him on the sidelines. But it was his colleague in defence Godfrey Denis who had a bad afternoon.

Denis conceded a free-kick in the 10th minute which Congolese Mohamed Iramboma curled past goalie Egbert Havelock to open the score.

Irambona almost scored a second three minutes later as goalie Havelock came way off his line.

In the 16th minute, Denis collided with Cyrus Athanase and he came out the worse and had to be transported to hospital with a head injury.

In the 34th minute, Irambona had to follow Denis to hospital also with a head injury.
St Michel created their first real chance in the 42nd minute, but Yves Zialor and Leonni Nastinan failed to connect with the goal gaping.

Light Stars went close in the 44th minute as Jonathan Mbanze out-sped two defenders before putting the ball on a plate for Hugh Jeanne who headed over the bar with the goal at his mercy.

In injury time, Jeanne redeemed himself as he held off Hansel Larue’s challenge to fire at goalie Havelock who spilled the ball. Mbanze was on hand to hit the rebound into the roof of the net.

Light Stars threatened to extend the lead as Magnifique Ndikumana played a short corner to substitute Joel Esther in the 67th minute but the latter rifled a shot across goal.

In the 87th minute, Henny Dufresne gifted Light Stars a third goal as he headed over a stranded goalie Havelock to make it 3-0.

On Praslin on Saturday, SMB opened the scoring through Collin Laporte early in the second half before Joseph Marcellin made it 2-0.

Jeris Délorié reduced the arrears for Survivors.

R. J-L.