Football: President’s Cup preview-La Passe cross swords with St Michel |20 February 2010
The season opener, scheduled for 4.30pm at Stad Linite, will pit defending Barclays League
The two teams have already met once this year in the Four-team tournament and were involved in a five-goal thriller that ended in favour of Anse Aux Pins-based St Michel on a 3-2 score.
After winning their African Champions League preliminary round first leg match 1-0 on a Malagasy Hassman Abdou 59th minute goal at Stad Linite eight days ago, La Passe are gunning for their third President’s Cup after past wins in 2003 and 2006.
Ready to cross swords with the much younger St Michel coach Ralph ‘Tiapout’ Jean-Louis, La Passe mentor Marius Fanchette believes in his team’s chances.
“We will play our usual attacking football,” he said.
“Victory is a must but we must be disciplined in our playing strategy. All the players understand what they have to do and they must shoulder their responsibilities,” added coach Fanchette.
He said he is not sure if he will start with Kenyan central defender Zablon Amanaka, who will miss the African Champions League return match after seeing red in injury time for elbowing Kersley Appou.
“I want to field the team who will play the return African Champions League match in Mauritius in a week’s time, but Zablon is a key member of our defence,” he said.
The prowess of coach Jean-Louis’ St Michel when competing in the President’s Cup is legendary, and the former Seychelles international midfielder wants to make that factor count in this afternoon’s match, which promises to be mouth-watering .
This is the 10th time in 16 years that St Michel have taken part in the President’s Cup and, despite losing to St Louis Suns last year, they have the edge with seven wins, in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2007 and 2008 as well as two runner-up finishes in 2004 and 2009.
“The President’s Cup is a prestigious trophy and we want to regain it after losing to St Louis Suns in 2009,” said Jean-Louis.
Jean-Louis, who wore the Bel Air and St Michel shirts in his heyday, added that he expects a “tough encounter as La Passe will be brimming with confidence after their African Champions League win.”
He noted that his team had a good pre-season, playing five test matches – three of those in the Four-team tournament, which they won.
“The Four-team tournament win is a morale-booster. The players have to go out there this afternoon and show their true worth to win the President’s Cup. This will put us in the right frame of mind for the Barclays League as we intend to recapture the title we lost to La Passe last year,” he added.
St Michel have injuries to strikers Trevor Vidot and Wilnes Brutus, who joined them this year from St Louis Suns, but both players are expected to play a part in the match.
In the Youth Cup at 2pm, Cup winners Young Pirates will meet league champions The Lions Youth.
Tickets for the two matches cost R25 and R35.
G. G.