Football: Division one league - Côte d’Or tear apart hapless The Lions |23 November 2017

Praslin side Côte d’Or tore apart a hapless The Lions side 6-0 at Stad Linite on Tuesday afternoon in their last league match as they finished the season as league runners-up.

Côte d’Or were eager to come and enjoy this match which nearly did not take place because of the heavy downpour half an hour before kickoff which inundated the pitch but with the Praslin team travelling here, the officials had to wait for at least 20 minutes allowing the pitch to drain to get started as a postponement would have been an inconvenience for Côte d’Or.

The 2016 league champions took the lead as early as the 11th minute from a neat one-two involving the impressive Collin Esther and Malagasy Jean Tigana before the former fired at goal and the ball was carried over the line by Gerald Basset for a 1-0 lead.

Referee Bernard Camille then awarded the Praslin side a soft penalty when the ball unintentionally hit The Lions’ defender Malagasy Clariel’s hand as he tried to cut out Basset’s cross but he felt it was worthy of a spot kick which was rather harsh especially on a very wet pitch.

Tigana stepped up to tuck the ball past goalkeper Jerome Dingwall to make it 2-0 for the players of coach Nicholas Simouri.

Côte d’Or swamped all over a disorganised opponent and in the 15th minute they added a third goal from a shot across goal by the hard-working Dine Suzette and Nigerian Godwin Okwara easily drilled home from close range to make it 3-0 as he grabbed his fourth goal in three matches.

In the 23rd minute, Suzette, Tigana and Okwara with a deft flick produced a great move to release Nigerian Peter Adeshina who was in a one-on-one situation with goalkeeper Dingwall but he lobbed the ball agonisingly wide.

Adeshina then was guilty of a suicidal back pass on the half hour mark which was latched onto by Malagasy Estel Randrina but he could not beat reserve goalkeeper Kurtis Jean-Baptiste who did well to turn his well-placed shot into corner.

The colleagues of captain Jones Joubert went further ahead in the 35th minute when Suzette was pulled down on the edge fo the penalty area as he weaved his way past a couple of defenders for a free kick.

Collin Esther curled in a beauty which crashed into the far corner past goalkeeper Dingwall for a 4-0 advantage at half-time.

The Lions should have reduced the score line in the 49th minute from a strong run by Liberian Mohamed Varney and he pulled the ball back from the bye-line to Randrina but he could not direct his shot on target.

Suzette scored a goal he richly deserved against his former club in the 63rd minute when he picked a pass from Collin Esther in midfield and he made space to rifle a long range effort which bounced awkwardly in front of goalkeeper Dingwall to take refuge in the net for a 5-0 lead.

Côte d’Or continued to dominate proceedings but substitute Voavy Faralahibe missed a few decent chances before wrapping up his team’s biggest league win this season and The Lions’ heaviest loss in the league on the stroke of fulltime as forced home the ball after a mêlée in their opponents’ penalty area for a 6-0 final score.

Coach Simouri was happy his team ended the season on a flourish and thanked all the fans for their support this season.

“We played really well in the first half and the players enjoyed themselves and though we could not retain our league title, we had a good season and we will hope to improve next year and I would like to thank the players for their efforts and all the fans for their support in 2017,” the Côte d’Or coach told Sports NATION. 

As for The Lions’ coach Gavin Jeanne, he admitted his team were poor as they had not prepared for this match.

Côte d’Or completed their league campaign as runners-up but their club president Robert Payet was very disappointed that they were not presented with their runners-up trophy and medals on Tuesday.

“We would have expected the federation to do this presentation after our final match as it is an honour for the players to receive their medals for their achievement and it would have been a moment to savour for their family as well as the sponsors to witness this medal ceremony after a match but now it seems they will be sending it over to be distributed by the club itself which is not right,” the Côte d’Or president said.

His view was echoed by the St Louis players who were very disappointed with the federation for not presenting them with the league crown after their victory on Praslin on Saturday which would have been the ideal moment, but it looks that this ceremony will now take place on Friday after their final match against Revengers at Stad Linite.

R. J-L.