Football: Land Marine Cup-St Michel knock-out St Louis Suns in dramatic match |18 October 2007
It was a passionate match full of drama and suspense from the kick-off with an all-action
St Louis Suns United nearly surprised their opponents from the kick-off as St Michel’s goalie Nelson Sopha was late to make a routine save with Achille Henriette lurking.
At the other end, St Michel’s Nelson Laurence pressured Malagasy Ralida into a mistake and it was only a quick recovery by the defender to deflect the striker’s shot into corner.
Two minutes later, St Louis Suns United should have opened the scoring as Mervin Mathiot got the better of Danny César to centre to the unmarked Henriette who could not direct his header on target.
It was an end-to-end stuff and in the sixth minute, Don Anacoura almost beat goalie Eugene Valentin with a dipping free-kick but the St Louis Suns United custodian was vigilant to thwart the danger.
In the 11th minute, St Louis Suns United’s captain Denis Barbé picked up a strong pass from midfield to head for goal as he avoided Dereck Agathine’s tackle but his shot lacked the sting to trouble goalie Sopha.
St Michel countered swiftly as Laurence eluded defender Steven Constance to cross to Anacoura whose near post shot flew wide.
St Michel almost scored a controversial goal in the 33rd minute as Anacoura tugged defender Jude Nancy’s shirt to gain advantage which was not signaled by referee Gonzague Boniface, allowing the national team player to square to Laurence who volleyed wide as goalie Valentin protested and was booked.
In the 36th minute, St Michel pulled off Danny César who had a torrid time and they brought in Alex Nibourette who instantly brought some stability to the defence.
Three minutes later, Henriette had a glorious chance as Constance lofted a deep cross to him but his downward header fell on St Michel’s roof of the goal.
Two minutes later, Mathiot went on a mazy run to elude two defenders but he flashed his shot across the face of the goal.
St Michel made St Louis Suns United pay for their missed opportunities as Philip Zialor, who had a quiet first half, latched onto a through pass in the 43rd minute to cut back to Laurence whose fierce shot crashed against the cross-bar and the ball fell invitingly to Malagasy Pascal who had all the time in the world to control it and rifle into the roof of the net for a 1-0 lead.
St Louis Suns United, who had dominated proceedings, looked stunned and were lucky not to concede another goal a minute later as Nibourette broke clear but his strong shot was well stopped by goalie Valentin.
St Louis Suns United had to replace the injured Jonathan Bibi in the second half and Alpha Baldé also came on to bolster their attack.
In the 59th minute, Baldé floated a cross behind St Michel’s defence to Congolese Jonathan Mbanze but he somehow headed wide.
St Michel tried to contain St Louis Suns United and hit them with a second goal. In the 72nd minute, Anacoura played a cross to Zialor whose left footer sailed over the cross-bar.
St Louis Suns United threw everything in attack as they looked for an equalizer. In the 78th minute, Baldé’s in-swinging free-kick was met by Mbanze but goalie Sopha was close to him to thwart the danger.
A minute later, Baldé’s corner was half cleared to Jude Nancy whose raking shot went agonisingly wide.
St Louis Suns United had St Michel hanging on as the tackles flew in both ways and in the 85th minute, Mbanze missed the target with a clear header from Baldé’s free-kick.
St Michel were under intense pressure and in the 88th minute Joel Barbé was lucky not to receive his marching orders for a high tackle after being booked earlier for a similar foul.
Deep in injury time, Ted Esther rose above St Michel’s defence to connect to Baldé’s free-kick but he watched in dismay as his team’s last chance crept out of play.
St Michel’s manager Brian Uranie praised the large crowd which had created a great ambiance in a cracking match.
As for St Louis Suns United’s coach Marc Mathiot, he felt his team were just unlucky to lose a match where they had the edge and chances to come out victorious.
St Michel progress to the semifinals where they will meet either SMB or Northern Dynamo.
R. J-L.