Football: Barclays League division one-Red Star shake off Foresters’ challenge |11 June 2007
Red Star, who has lost their first match 0-2 to St Michel, got off to a bright start as they took the lead in the sixth minute.
It was midfielder Bernard St Ange who created the goal as he eluded a couple of defenders to float a deep cross to Mickey Songoire who had sneaked in at the far post to head the ball past goalie Joel Jean to open the score.
Red Star created two more scoring opportunities late in the first half but Songoire wasted both of them.
Red Star started the second half strongly and in the 49th minute Barra threaded a pass to Julius who forced a good save out of goalie Jean.
The boys of coach Mosa were not to be denied a second goal in the 54th minute as Malagasy Taly, who had a quiet first half, hustled for the ball from midfield and got into the penalty box where he played a one-two with Barra to then chip the ball over goalie Jean for a 2-0 lead.
Foresters suddenly came to life with a couple of substitutions which paid dividends in the 67th minute as substitute Leroy Gomme was given space to rifle a low shot to beat Red Star’s goalie Patrick Asba to reduce the arrears to 1-2.
But Red Star regained the momentum and in the 74th minute Taly picked out new recruit Gervais Waye-Hive on the right and his centre was half-cleared to the same Taly whose left foot drive from the edge of the penalty area crashed against the foot of a post.
Red Star maintained the pressure and were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty in the 84th minute by referee Roy Pauline when Foresters’ defender Jeffrey Larue appeared to have handled the ball and in the impending mêlée Barra’s shot hit the underside of the bar and seemed to have crossed the goal-line, but play was allowed to continue.
Red Star extended their lead in the 85th minute somewhat controversially. Looking offside, Julius pounced on St Ange’s deflected ball and shot under the body of the diving goalie Jean for a 3-1 score.
On the stroke of full-time, Taly threaded a pass to Julius who out-sped defender Larue who pulled him down and referee Pauline pointed to the penalty spot. Malagasy Guy Rene Raberanto, who was playing in defence, stepped up to smash the ball home to seal the 4-1 win.
Red Star’s coach Mosa said after the match that though he was pleased with the win, there is still a lot of work to do in terms of organisation and team work.
Valentin’s blunder gifts SMB victory
SMB bounced back from their 4-0 drubbing against Northern Dynamo to register a hard-fought 2-1 win against St Louis Suns United on Saturday at Stad Linite.
The two teams had drawn all their matches in the Airtel Cup, but on Saturday, St Louis Suns United showed more willingness to attack.
In the 10th minute, St Louis Suns United sprung SMB’s offside trap as Jude Nancy fed Congolese Jonathan Mbanze on the right and his cross should have been converted by Trevor Poiret who shot straight at goalie Joel Lesperance.
Six minutes later, Steven Constance released the same Poiret whose cross was met by Kenneth Khan’s stooping header but goalie Lesperance saved the danger.
SMB were relying on counter-attack and in the 26th minute Roddy César could not keep his shot on target after Che Dorasamy and Joseph Marcellin had exposed St Louis Suns United’s defensive frailties.
In the 33rd minute, Alpha Baldé set up Poiret whose cross was laid off by Mbanze to captain Denis Barbé who unleashed a low drive but goalie Lesperance was equal to the task.
In the 35th minute, SMB caught St Louis Suns United’s defence flat-footed and Marcellin released Dorasamy whose shot was parried into the path of Marcellin who was bundled over by defender Constance as there were claims for a penalty.
Five minutes later, referee Gonzague Boniface failed to award SMB a penalty after Dorasamy was fouled in the area by Constance.
SMB came out for the second half with more determination and got their due reward in the 53rd minute.
It began from Roddy César’s free-kick which Colin Laporte headed downwards to Marcellin whose shot produced a great save out of goalie Eugene Valentin who turned the ball into corner. César floated the resulting corner which Dorasamy knocked down to Marcellin who drove it home for a 1-0 lead.
St Louis Suns United were on level matters in the 59th minute as Poiret’s powerful shot was parried by SMB’s goalie Lesperance and Baldé picked up the loose ball which was handled by Joel Esther. Referee Boniface pointed to the penalty spot and Jonathan Bibi scored to make it 1-1.
Baldé also had a gilt-edged opportunity to give St Louis Suns United the lead from Poiret’s teasing cross but he allowed goalie Lesperance to dispossess him.
In the 70th minute, Marcellin thought he had given his team the lead as he chipped goalie Valentin but defender Constance cleared on the goal-line.
SMB scored the winner in the 89th minute. Dorasamy pounced on a through ball and goalie Valentin raced way off his goal-line to try to tackle the SMB striker who shook off the challenge to centre in an unmarked goal area and Laporte was there to punish the ‘keeper for a 2-1 score.
Coach Mathiot told the media that he was disappointed with the loss as he would have been content with at least a point. He blamed a lapse in concentration for the defeat.
As for SMB’s coach Roger Labonté, he said that his team, who had an average first half, realised during half-time that they could overcome St Louis Suns United and went out with renewed determination.
Light Stars shock La Passe
Playing before their home fans at the Baie Ste Anne Praslin playing field, Grand Anse-based Light Stars shocked La Passe with a 2-0 victory.
It was in the second half that defender Senky Vidot set Light Stars on the road to a rare victory over La Digue-based La Passe.
Young Kevin Prosper sealed the victory for Light Stars over La Passe.
R. J-L