Airtel Cup football-La Passe, St Michel unbeaten, St Louis clinch vital point |27 March 2006
On Friday March 24 La Passe registered an important 2-1 win over defending Airtel cup champions Red Star whilst on Saturday March 25 St Michel kept up their relentless form with a 4-0 victory over The Lions.
Both matches were played on Mahe.
On La Digue, St Louis clinched a vital point in their 1-1 draw against Anse Reunion.
La Passe v/s Red Star
This match on Friday was a game of two halves but overall the team from La Digue were superior while Red Star struggled to find a rhythm to their play.
Red Star though drew first blood as Malagasy Taly's blistering shot forced a finger-tip save from goalkeeper Vincent Euphrasie in the third minute.
La Passe scored with their first real opportunity in the seventh minute. Tanzanian Salum Kinje threaded a pass to the lively Jean-Paul Marguerite whose raking shot crept into the far post for a 1-0 lead.
In the 12th minute, Marguerite set up Ted Radegonde who should have done better against his former team.
La Passe were overwhelming Red Star and in the 18th minute, Jude Ladouce rolled a pass into Malagasy Eric Rajaobery's path but he shot in the side-netting.
After soaking much of the pressure, Red Star almost levelled matters in the 21st minute from Radley Monthy's teasing cross which was met by Jemmy Edmond's stooping header. Goalie Euphrasie though was well placed to deny the young midfielder.
La Passe kept up the pressure and in the 23rd minute Rajaobery was bundled over by Allen Larue but referee Eddie Maillet was not convinced that it was a penalty.
In the 36th minute, La Passe extended their advantage somewhat fortuitously. It all started from Rajoabery linking up with Kinje whose control let him down but the ball was cleared to Ugandan Jimmy Kidega. The lanky midfielder rode a tackle to embarrass goalie Joel Lesperance with a toe poke shot better known in Creole as zonglon. The ball crashed into the roof of the net with goalie Lesperance surprised by the shot from the edge of the penalty area.
Red Star nearly reduced the arrears in the 39th minute after La Passe were indulging in stroking the ball at the back.
Monthy pounced on a stray pass and spotted the La Passe goalie way off his line. But Monthy's shot sailed agonisingly wide much to the relief of the La Passe defenders.
Kinje should have killed off the game only two minutes into the second half, but goalie Lesperance did well to stop his fierce shot which gave Red Star hope.
Red Star upped the tempo and in the 56th minute Edmond nodded to Brian Ravinia who volleyed wide from a good position.
Red Star enjoyed plenty of possession with La Passe dropping too far back to defend.
In the 73rd minute tempers flared as Rajaobery's harsh tackled on Nigel Freminot was not appreciated by the Red Star players. Rajaboery was booked but his action may have been a sign of frustration after he had suffered crude tackles himself by especially Allen Larue on several occasions with the official not booking the defender at all.
As Red Star poured forward, they were caught on the counter in the 75th minute with Rajaobery crossing to substitute Rick Bibi whose glancing header was saved by goalie Lesperance.
In the 83rd minute, Red Star again survived after Rajaobery and Kinje combined to draw goalie Lesperance off his line for the latter to shoot. The ball was deflected to Radegonde who blazed it over the cross-bar with the goal begging.
Two minutes later Red Star reduced the deficit as Taly beat the defence to shoot into the roof of the net.
But it was too little too late for Red Star as La Passe held on for their second win over them in pool A.
Coach Marius Fanchette felt his team had a good first half but slacked in the second.
His counterpart Malagasy Mosa thought his team improved in the second half but failed to create enough goalscoring chances.
St Michel overpower nine-man The Lions
St Michel tore apart The Lions 4-0 at Stad Linite on Saturday.
St Michel were by far the superior side and surely did not need more favours from the officials which made life much harder for The Lions.
St Michel were the first on the attack in the 13th minute with Don Anacoura picking out Philip Zialor whose shot was charged down.
On the counter The Lions almost stunned their more illustrious opponent.
Captain for the day Allen Louise released Michael Hertel who let fly and reserve goalie Andrea Libanotis parried his shot but was quick to collect the rebound.
In the 18th minute, St Michel went close as Samuel Henriette centred to Malagasy Leonni Nastinan who was in an offside position but it was not signalled by assistant referee Philip Sinon who had a poor game on the line. Nastinan's header was saved by goalie Kitson Cecile.
In the 32nd minute, Nastinan sprung The Lions offside trap and bore on goal. Defender Harry Labinotis recovered in time to tackle the Malagasy.
Nastinan though made amends a minute later as he latched onto Anacoura's pass to shoot through goalie Kitson Cecile's legs to open the floodgates.
St Michel were now in top gear as The Lions just hung on.
In the 36th minute, Anacoura went close with a superbly taken curler.
In the 41st minute, St Michel went further ahead though controversially as both Henriette and the goal scorer were in offside position when they received the ball.
It all began when Henriette received the ball on the right in acres of space and his cross found Nastinan completely unmarked to slot home his second.
On the stroke of halftime, St Michel stretched their lead again amidst some confusion.
Anacoura's aerial ball in the penalty area caused a melee. Nastinan was clearly offside as he awaited the ball to drop. Goalie Kitson got nervous with the official for signalling an infringement and therefore decided to push Nastinan before the ball dropped. Referee Gonzague Boniface penalised the goalkeeper by booking him and awarding a penalty.
Captain Godfrey Denis stepped up and his well-struck shot was well spotted by goalie Cecile but he could not stop the ball from rolling into the net to make it 3-0 at half-time.
In the 53rd minute The Lions threatened through Achille Hoareau who was fouled by Neddy Rose but the official turned a blind eye.
In the 61st minute The Lions again went close as Michel Pierre raced on goal but delayed his shot and wasted a good opportunity.
Two minutes later The Lions were in trouble as Johnny Moustache brought down Anacoura.
The Lions protested the foul awarded by referee Boniface and in the impending discussion Libanotis was twice booked and received his marching orders.
In the 64th minute, St Michel scored again after Alex Nibourette's initial shot from Zialor's pass was cleared off the line. The Lions then stopped playing awaiting a foul on goalie Cecile. But the whistle did not come and Zialor blasted into the roof of the net much to the disgust of The Lions players.
In the 71st minute, Zialor threatened a beauty behind The Lions defence to Anacoura the goalie but Jerry Dick cleared on the goalline.
In the 82nd minute, The Lions were in further trouble as the two captains Louise and Denis tussled for a ball. Louise was given a straight red card most probably for swearing thought it was not clear what had happened. Even after the match the referee did not want to clarify the matter with the media.
At the end St Michel manager Brian Uranie was pleased that his team had not conceded a goal and with the win. Uranie had his doubts with the official especially regarding an incident when substitute Joel Barra was supposedly hacked down by Moustache. The assistant referee Renaud flagged but Boniface overruled his decision.
As for The Lions coach Jean-Marc Benstrong he was more diplomatic though he said the number of bookings his team was picking was affecting his squad. Benstrong also felt that his team had still to adapt with playing two games in three days and that they must learn fast or else they will struggle in the top flight.
St Louis v/s Anse Reunion
St Louis secured a vital point La Digue. Midfielder Jude Quatre gave them the lead in the first half.
But Anse Reunion striker Yelvanny Rose scored from a free-kick which goalie Dominic Chang-Waye failed to keep out.
R. J-L