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Football: Division one league St Louis win to stretch lead, Côte d’Or drop points |04 September 2017

First division league leaders St Louis came from behind to defeat La Digue-based La Passe 2-1 on La Digue on Friday afternoon while on the same day on Praslin, defending champions Côte d’Or could only manage a 0-0 draw against LightStars.

 

St Louis avenge La Passe loss

League leaders St Louis had to fight back from a goal down at half-time to overcome high-flying La Passe 2-1 in their own backyard to avenge their first round 0-2 loss to this same opponent who had denied them the league leadership at the half way point.

La Passe were brimming with confidence after their 4-2 victory over St Michel the previous weekend with 10 men and they took the lead in the 41st minute through their burly forward Perry Monnaie for a 1-0 advantage at half-time.

St Louis rolled up their sleeves and went on the offensive and drew level just past the hour mark with a header from Elijah Tamboo in the 66th minute for a 1-1 score and five minutes later, Gervais Waye-Hive made it 2-1 to turn the tables on La Passe with another headed goal and they held on to secure three vital points which propels them on 38 points ‒ 4 points ahead of second placed Côte d’Or and the result was much appreciated by coach Nigel Freminot.

“It is a very good result for my team away from home especially as we were trailing in the first half, but we made a few tactical adjustments and it paid off as we reversed the score to collect three precious points which keep us on track for the title,” the St Louis coach told Sports NATION as the victory helps them open up a four-point lead at the top of the league with six games remaining.

 

Côte d’Or drop points against LightStars

2016 league champions Côte d’Or dropped vital points as they drew 0-0 against neighbours LightStars in a Praslin derby on Friday at Stad Amitié.

Captained by Jones Joubert, Côte d’Or are now winless in four matches and more interestingly is the fact that the players of coach Nicolas Simouri have failed to score in their last three matches which must be a major cause for concern and they have two tough matches coming up, firstly against La Passe at home in the SFF Knockout fourth round tie and against Red Star Defence Forces away in the league.

Côte d’Or coach Simouri though said that his team is playing well but they are just unlucky in front of goals which they have to address to improve their results in the coming matches.

“We are playing well and defending to the required standard as we are not conceding goals but it’s just that we have to be more lethal in our finishing and we hope to work on this area before our next match,” coach Simouri revealed to Sports NATION.

 

St Michel return to winning ways

St Michel returned to winning ways in a 2-1 triumph on La Digue against Anse Reunion on Saturday to climb into third position on the league table with 27 points to leapfrog three teams.

Anse Aux Pins-based St Michel were thankful to their young winger Neil Confiance who scored twice in the first half for a 2-0 lead before Anse Reunion grabbed a consolation goal in the second period through their Ugandan midfielder Ahmed Bayerno for a 2-1 final score line.

 

Northern Dynamo edge nine-man St John Bosco

Northern Dynamo had to come from behind at half-time to sneak past St John Bosco 2-1 at Stad Linite on Saturday afternoon.

It was another bad result for St John Bosco who finished the match with nine men and are at the foot of the table in a match where they had started brightly and drew first blood as early as the 2nd minute from a spectacular volley by Deroy Brutus from Daniel Lucas but goalkeeper Ricky Pool managed to smother the ball.

A minute later, Ghanaian forward Emmanuel Ankrah had an even better chance from his countryman Jonas Baffoe’s pinpoint cross but he headed wide a free header with the goal at his mercy.

Northern Dynamo shook off their slow start and went close in the 11th minute from a good move involving Malagasy Rajamana and Marcus Maria before Maria sent in an inch-perfect cross to Gambian striker Musa Njie who headed over when it looked easier to score from close range.

In the 14th minute, St John Bosco threatened again from a beautiful cross-field pass from Brutus to Lucas who fired low at goalkeeper Pool who could only parry the ball before the danger was cleared.

This encounter was an open and entertaining one with both teams pushing forward to score and in the 25th minute substitute Aldo Dufresne, who had replaced the injured Daniel Maillet, picked out Wesley Esther’s run and he bore on goal but his left foot shot came off the foot of the post.

It would have a been a pity if the first half had ended goalless but St John Bosco got lucky on the stroke of half-time when Northern Dynamo captain Warren Mellie lost the ball to Lucas who cleverly played the ball into the box where Ankrah sold defender Kevin Estico a dummy and he threw a leg into his path to bring him down for a clear penalty indicated by referee Emile Fred.

Ankrah picked himself up to bury the spot kick past goalkeeper Pool but referee Fred ordered the penalty to be retaken for an infringement by a St John Bosco player and Ankrah coolly placed the ball low into the bottom corner a second time round to give his team a 1-0 lead at the interval.

Northern Dynamo came out with all guns blazing in the second half and in the 58th minute Rajamana played a through ball to Dufresne who looked odds on to score but goalkeeper and captain for the day Duane Romain bravely dived at his feet to clear the danger.

Northern Dynamo levelled matters in the 69th minute after Dufresne’s cross caused a mêlée in the St John Bosco penalty area and when defender Terry Lesperance failed to clear the ball, Njie pounced to tuck the loose ball for a 1-1 score.

Northern Dynamo now pressed for a winner and in the 85th minute, there were appeals for a handball and penalty against St John Bosco’s Lesperance but the official was not convinced and when substitute Darryl Louise missed an open goal the ball was cleared as far as Esther on the edge of the penalty area and he lofted the ball into the net to make it 2-1.

St John Bosco goalkeeper Romain was unhappy at this point and felt there should have been an offside call which was not evident and he used vulgar language towards the assistant referee Gerald Pool who brought this incident to the attention of referee Fred who issued a straight red card to give Romain his marching orders and St John Bosco were forced to bring in reserve goalkeeper Christopher Legaie for the remainder of the match.

St John Bosco then had Baffoe also given his marching orders in the 91st minute for a reckless foul on Northern Dynamo skipper Mellie as he picked up his second yellow card and had to leave the pitch to leave his team with nine men as they lost their 11th match and are six points adrift at the wrong end of the league standings.

 

Revengers fight back to beat Foresters

Praslin side Revengers had to fight back from a two-goal deficit to secure a narrow 3-2 win over Foresters at Stad Amitié on Saturday afternoon in a league match.

Foresters had gone ahead in this match courtesy of a goal by Ryan Henriette in the first half for a 1-0 lead and Henriette bagged a second goal after the interval for a 2-0 score.

But things turned for the worse for Foresters as they lost defender Brian Dorby to a suspected broken leg and minutes later, their Malagasy defender and captain Edgard Nandrasina had to be replaced with a hamstring injury.

Revengers then reduced the arrears through Malagasy Ludovigue for 1-2 score and Evariste equalised to make it 2-2 before Ludovigue completed the turnaround as he netted his brace for a 3-2 victory which pleased coach Basil Hoareau whose team lie in the relegation zone, while Foresters coach Rodney Choisy was disappointed with his goalkeeper Randolph Bijoux whose errors gifted their opponents crucial goals to turn the match in their favour.

 

R. J-L

 

Word count: 1,437

Published: 04-09-2017

 

 

 

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