Football: Airtel Cup-St Louis Suns struggle to victory |09 May 2009

The match kicked off with a minute’s silence in memory of Jonathan Bibi’s grandmother who was buried on Wednesday.

St Louis Suns were not up to their best but still had a little more than Dynamo when they raised their game.
In the fifth minute, Andy Mougal countered to release Wilnes Brutus who raced through  but shot across goal.

Dynamo responded four minutes later from Evans Telemaque’s corner to Damien Tamboo whose strong shot was deflected into corner.

St Louis Suns opened the scoring somewhat fortuitously as captain Malagasy Jimmy Radafison picked out his colleague Jean Delor Tsaralaza who eluded two defenders but was fouled.  The ball though broke to Mougal with referee Gonzague Boniface playing a good advantage.  Mougal’s crosscum shot sailed over goalie Jules Monnaie for a 1-0 lead.

St Louis Suns struggled to find a rhythm but in the 33 minute Wilnes Brutus fired a defensive error just across goal.

Two minutes later St Louis Suns produced a sweeping passing more but Brutus was guilty of a bad miss with the goal begging.
St Louis Suns brought on Alpha Baldé early in the second half to raise their game after they had lacked the sparkle in a first half which Dynamo had showed their intention.

IN the 57 minute, Baldé curling free kick was pushed out by goalie Monnaie to Malagasy Hasinarivola Rijaniaina who had a very poor game on Thursday.  Rijaniaina fierce low drive was cleared on the goalline.

Dynamo though got their reward for their hard work in the 62 minute from Evans Telemaque’s corner which former St Louis Suns defender Ronny Hoareau headed past goalie Joel Lesperance who was making his debut for a 1-1 score.

The Dynamo defender though was gutted three minutes later as he turned Mougal’s teasing cross past his own goalie Monnaie with fierce shot to restore St Louis Suns 2-1 lead.

IN the 69 minute, Baldé linked up with Brutus but he shot narrowly wide after skipping past a defender.
St Louis Suns secured the victory in the 85 minute after a good work involving Denis Barbé on the left wing with Brutus. 

The two St Louis Suns player exchanged passes to leave Dynamo defenders in their wake allowing Barbé to shoot low past goalie Monnaie for a 3-1 lead.

Two minutes later Mougal threatened to increase their lead as he pounced on a loose ball but his stinging shot produced a flying save out of goalie Monnaie.

In the 89 minute, Dynamo cut St Louis Suns deficit from Evans Telemaque’s floated free kick which Valerio Derothé headed home grazing the cross bar as it beat goalie Lesperance for a 2-3 score.

St Louis Suns though held on for three more points despite a below par performance with a defence affected by injury to key players.

As for Dynamo, they will be rueing themselves for not taking at least a point in a match where they could have upset St Louis Suns.