Football: Airtel Cup final-St Michel win on penalty shootout |29 April 2008
In the 19th minute, Malagasy Bruno Saindini slipped a pass to colleague Judicael Mahasoa, who beat St Michel’s offside trap, but goalie Nelson Sopha blocked the striker’s shot.
Three minutes later, Saindini floated a free kick to Etienne Fanchette, who brought a great reaction save from Sopha.
In the 33rd minute, St Michel went mighty close. When Don Anacoura centred to captain Philip Zialor he laid the ball to Michel Ange Tall, whose stinging drive was parried by La Passe goalkeeper Vincent Euphrasie. The ball rebounded to Tall, who blazed it wide with the goal at his mercy.
In the 38th minute, Malagasy Asman Abdou released Gitano Ladouce, who shot across the face of goal when he should have hit the target.
Seconds later, Sopha failed to clear Gitano Ladouce’s cross and the ball dropped invitingly to Abdou, whose shot was deflected for a corner.
St Michel took the lead in the 41st minute against the run of play with a fantastic goal. Zialor took a free kick from 35 metres out and curled a beauty past a stranded Euphrasie to make it 1-0 at half-time.
La Passe continued to enjoy plenty of possession in the second half and got their due reward in the 63rd minute. Saindini hoisted his corner kick to the near post and the unmarked Abdou glanced the ball past Sopha to level the score at 1-1.
The game then became a closely fought affair as St Michel improved. In the 73rd minute, Zialor set up substitute Nelson Laurence, who fluffed a good opportunity.
Seven minutes later, Zialor played a neat one-two with Anacoura, who flashed his shot across goal. La Passe almost stole victory in injury time as Abdou burst through to link up with Malagasy substitute Eric Rajaobery, who could not convert a great chance.
St Michel had the upper hand in extra-time, and in the 102nd minute Alex Nibourette’s teasing cross created chaos in La Passe’s penalty area before the danger was cleared.
Five minutes later, Laurence picked out Zialor with a good cross but he headed wide as La Passe rode their luck.
In the 113th minute, Zialor broke clear but he shot wide to force the game into a penalty shootout.
Abdou converted La Passe’s first spot kick but Pascal, who played as sweeper for St Michel, levelled matters. Captain Melvin Uranie blazed his hot over the crossbar only for Anacoura to put St Michel ahead 2-1.
Rajaobery scored to make it 2-2, but Nibourette easily beat Euphrasie to give St Michel back the lead at 3-2. Saindini then saw his fierce shot come back off the crossbar and Zialor fired home St Michel’s fourth spot kick to give the Anse Aux Pins-based team the victory their fans so much craved.
St Michel have now joined Red Stars as two-time winners of the Airtel Cup.
The cups and medals were presented to the two teams by Community Development, Youth, Sports and Culture Minister Vincent Meriton, Airtel chief executive officer Vinod Sud and Seychelles Football Federation vice-chairman Roch Henriette.
R. J-L.