Football: Airtel Cup - Red Star Defence Forces eliminate Revengers in extra-time |14 July 2017

● Both teams end match with 10 men

Red Star Defence Forces knocked out Praslin side Revengers 4-3 on aggregate score after their Airtel Cup fourth round second match on Wednesday evening at Stad Linite ended 3-1 in their favour.

Revengers had taken a slender 2-1 lead into this second match which was played in persistent rain though thankfully the players’ seating area had been fixed and they were not too bothered by the downpour.

Red Star Defence Forces were gifted a goal in the 10th minute. Newly recruited from St Michel, Kenner Nourrice sent in a cross which Revengers’ midfielder Kevin Prosper inadvertently headed past his own goalkeeper Jean-Michel Marie for a 1-0 lead as he tracked back his former teammate, Malagasy Michel Nambintsoa.

Revengers should have equalised in the 28th minute when Malagasy Evariste released Ivan Cedras but he left the ball behind him as he bore on goal allowing goalkeeper Danny Larue to intercept the danger.

The Praslin team though did level matters in the 33rd minute from a threaded pass by Evariste to his countryman and former La Passe striker Ludovigue in acres of space and he slipped the ball past goalkeeper Larue to make it 1-1.

Four minutes later, Red Star Defence Forces restored their lead in controversial manner through a penalty awarded by referee Emile Fred for an alleged hand ball by Hervé César where the assistant referee Gerald Pool who was closer to the action did not signal but when queried by Sports NATION at half-time, referee Fred, who was limping throughout the match with an ankle injury, said the penalty was a result of a hand ball. Nambintsoa stepped up to take the spot kick and he sent goalkeeper Marie the wrong way to make it 2-1 for his new team.

Revengers had a glorious chance to level the score once again in the 40th minute as Ludovigue latched onto a lofted ball over the Red Star Defence Forces’ rearguard but he shot across goal instead of hitting the target.

Revengers pushed forward after the interval but suffered a major setback when defender Hervé César was shown a second yellow card for tugging back Kenner Nourrice in the 62nd minute and thus got his marching orders from the official.

Despite the man shortage, Revengers pressed their opponents but almost got caught in the 72nd minute from substitute Barry Marie’s cross to another substitute Francis Bacco whose goal-bound shot was cleared on the goal line by captain Neddy Esther.

Red Star Defence Forces again went close in the 83rd minute from Andrick Hortense’s superb cross to Francis Bacco whose close range header looked destined for the net but for a fantastic save by goalkeeper Marie to tip the ball into corner.

Two minutes later, Nambintsoa curled in a free kick from the right which goalkeeper Marie had to punch out.

In the 89th minute, Malagasy Sydo Bonvoyage created space on the edge of the penalty area to shoot at goalkeeper Marie who was again equal to the task as the match ended at a stalemate at a 3-3 aggregate and it had to go into extra-time.

Sydo tested goalkeeper Marie once again in the 96th minute as he showed good skill before firing a near post shot which the Revengers’ goalkeeper did well to turn into corner.

From the resulting corner lofted by Barry Marie, referee Fred awarded a second penalty as he penalised Revengers’ Andrew Jean for a hand ball which again was very harsh as it was not evident to most people in the stadium.

Nambintsoa was assigned this second spot kick and he tucked the ball into the net but referee Fred called for it to be re-taken for an infringement by Red Star Defence Forces players though Nambintsoa planted the ball coolly for a third time into the far corner for a 3-1 lead to complete his brace much to the frustration of the Revengers camp with the official as they felt hard done.

Revengers were unlucky not to cut the deficit in the 102nd minute from a cracking trademark free kick by Andrew Jean from 25 metres out which came off the crossbar with goalkeeper Larue well beaten.

Red Star Defence Forces were also reduced to 10 men in the 103rd minute when Francis Bacco, who had replaced former Foresters winger Carlos Mondon midway in the second half, picked up a second yellow card for kicking out at Andrew Jean and he received his marching orders.

In the 113thminute, Red Star Defence Forces should have added a fourth goal from a teasing cross by Aubrey Farabeau to Sydo but he missed the ball laid on a plate to him but it did not matter as they qualified for the quarterfinals and will be reinforced as they have signed St Michel striker Jocelyn Fenosoa this week and he will be eligible to play.

Red Star Defence Forces manager Philip Barbé told Sports NATION that his team should have won this match in normal time but is still pleased to progress.

“It was a tough match in the end as we allowed it to go into extra-time when we should have settled this tie in normal time with the numerous scoring opportunities we created but which we did not convert. But we are happy to progress and we will try to go as far as possible in this competition,” manager Barbé told Sports NATION.

As for Revengers coach Basil Hoareau, he was bitterly disappointed with the official who he felt had swung this match in their opponents’ favour.

“The level of officiating in this match was poor as the referee gifted our opponents two penalties and we were at his mercy as he handed the advantage to the other team and this is very discouraging,” the Revengers coach said.

R. J-L.