Football: Division one league Red Star Defence Forces win to improve league survival chance |18 November 2017
Red Star Defence Forces overcame SFF Cup finalists La Digue outfit Anse Reunion 3-0 on Thursday afternoon at Stad Linite in a league match to boost their survival chances in the top flight.
Red Star Defence Forces started on the front foot in this match in which they were desperate to collect all three points and their star player, Malagasy Jocelyn Fenosoa forced goalkeeper Ricky Rose to tip the ball over the crossbar in the 5th minute with a wicked free kick.
Five minutes later, Anse Reunion’s Yelvanny Rose should have done better when he was gifted the ball by their opponents’ Collin Francourt but he drilled the ball into the inviting arms of goalkeeper Danny Larue.
In the 13th minute, Red Star Defence Forces’ Malagasy midfielder Nemia latched onto a through ball after a mistake by Anse Reunion defender Adrian Constance but he could not hit the target.
The La Digue side enjoyed decent possession in this first half but the army team were more likely to score and on the half hour mark, Malagasy Michel Nambintsoa sprung the Anse Reunion offside trap but he shot straight at goalkeeper Ricky Rose as the defence stood still awaiting a non-existent offside call from assistant referee Gilbert Lusta.
The players of coach Harold Hoareau took the lead in the 32nd minute when the away side failed to deal with a cross by Alvin Mondon which goalkeeper Rose came out to intercept but missed and Jules Constance cleared as far as Francourt. Francourt controlled the ball on the edge of the penalty area before firing a rasping left foot shot which flew into the roof of the net to make it 1-0.
The SFF Cup finalists nearly drew level in the 43rd minute from a direct corner by Tanzanian midfielder Rashid Mohamed Gumbo which was headed away on the goal-line by defender Jones Larue to keep the score at 1-0 at half-time.
2016 division two league champions Red Star Defence Forces struck again in the 52nd minute when this time Francourt turned provider with a teasing cross across the Anse Reunion goal to the league’s top scorer Jocelyn who cheekily used his chest to force the ball past goalkeeper Rose for a 2-0 lead.
Anse Reunion huffed and puffed but lacked the cutting edge to create a clear opening while Red Star Defence Forces always looked dangerous and capable of increasing the scoreline.
In the 71st minute, Jocelyn curled in a free kick in the penalty area to substitute Barry Marie whose glancing header sailed agonisingly wide.
Four minutes later, Red Star Defence Forces stretched their advantage from substitute Malagasy Sydo Jean Alberto’s corner which was headed out as far as Nemia just outside the penalty area and he struck a fierce low shot which found refuge in the bottom corner for a 3-0 score.
Jocelyn went mighty close to adding to his already impressive league tally on the stroke of full time with a well-worked free kick but goalkeeper Rose took immediate action to clear the danger and limit the damage.
The victory for Red Star Defence Forces helped them almost secure their first division position for next season as they climb to ninth place above Foresters and Revengers and their manager Philip Barbé was pleased with the result.
“We had to win this match at all cost or else we would have placed ourselves in a difficult position in the danger zone, so we are quite satisfied with the result though we did not play exceptionally well. But we must not be complacent in our last match away to La Passe though we think we are in the safety zone,” explained the Red Star Defence Forces manager.
As for Anse Reunion coach Ted Esther, he felt that his players are a bit distracted by the upcoming final and it may have had a bearing on their performance in this match.
“We had a satisfactory first half where we circulated the ball well as we prepare for the final, but I feel the players are too geared up for this cup final and lacked focus in this match. But we hope we will do better in our last league match as we build up for the SFF Cup final,” claimed the Anse Reunion coach whose team lie in eighth position in the league standings.
R. J-L.