Football: Division one league - St Michel, LightStars, La Passe and Foresters win |19 March 2018

La Digue side La Passe defeated The Lions 2-1 at Stad Linite on Saturday while on Praslin league champions St Louis drew 1-1 with Côte d’Or. On the same day on La Digue, Foresters swept aside Anse Reunion 5-0 and on Friday, St Michel edged Revengers 2-1 whereas LightStars beat Northern Dynamo 2-0 on Praslin.

Confiance double sees off Revengers

St Michel maintained their good start to the 2018 league campaign with a hard fought 2-1 victory over Revengers on Friday in front of a decent crowd at Stad Linite.

Revengers had managed to keep close tabs on their two former players, namely Malagasies Evariste and Ludovigue.

As the first half was nearing its end, Neil Confiance fired past goalkeeper Jean Michel Marie in the 43rd minute to make it 1-0 and two minutes later, the same Confiance added a second for a 2-0 score at half-time.

Revengers decided to throw caution to the wind in the second half and reduced the deficit in the 50th minute from a sweeping move before Malagasy Benjamin Razakatiana centred to Christopher Tovondrainy who scored his second goal in as many matches to make it 1-2.

The Praslin team kept pushing for an equaliser and St Michel defender Yannick Manou had to clear on the goal line in the 80th minute Malagasy striker Jean Ratianaridimby’s header from colleague Christopher’s corner.

Three minutes later, St Michel’s debutant Malagasy Francis Rafaralahy, who had come on in the second half, headed over the crossbar Hassan Aly’s floated corner.

Revengers then were hard done by referee Nelson Emile in injury time when he issued two quick cards to Christopher and this was very harsh and Revengers coach Basil Hoareau was unhappy with the official and said he promised to contest the expulsion when he spoke to Sports NATION after the match.

“We had worked hard to contain St Michel’s threat in the first half but a lapse in concentration as the players questioned an official’s decision caused us to concede. But we managed to regroup in the second half and we even could have earned a draw but the harsh sending off affected us,” reflected coach Hoareau.

As for the St Michel manager Andrew Jean-Louis, he said their opponents gave them a run for their money but was satisfied to have collected all the points to put them on top of the league table before they face another unbeaten team, second placed Red Star Defence Forces, this coming Saturday.

“We had lots of possession in the first half but could not penetrate until late in the half but the second half was not good as we looked tired. But it was important to win against a good opponent,” the St Michel manager said.

St Louis and Côte d’Or share the points

Defending league champions St Louis came from behind to secure a 1-1 result on Saturday afternoon against Côte d’Or at Stad Amitié.

Malagasy Voavy Faralahibe had given the Praslin club a 1-0 lead at the interval but Elijah Tamboo levelled matters in the second half as the champions welcomed back their Nigerian striker Kazeem Adeyeri for a late cameo after his move to La Passe broke down.

St Louis manager Davis Khan told Sports NATION that his team played well and missed a couple of scoring opportunities while Côte d’Or coach James Barra felt his team started well but faded as the match elapsed.

LightStars down Northern Dynamo

On Friday on Praslin, Ted Esther registered his first win as LightStars coach with two first half strikes.

Ian Vel gave LightStars the lead and Renick Esther added a second goal for a 2-0 score-line.

La Passe sneak past The Lions

La Passe sneaked past The Lions 2-1 at Stad Linite on Saturday afternoon for their first league victory.

La Passe, who have recruited former Côte d’Or’s and Ethiopian side St George’s Nigerian striker Godwin Okwara for the season, nearly opened the scoring in the 2nd minute when Malagasy Rhino cut inside from the left to let fly a cracking shot but goalkeeper Randolph Bijoux was equal to the task as he tipped the ball over the crossbar.

The Lions responded in the 17th minute from Malagasy Estel Randrina’s chipped pass to Yannick Charlette but he shot wide with the goal begging.

In the 24th minute, The Lions’ Liberian forward Mohamed Varney, who was being courted by champions St Louis, exchanged passes with Charlette but shot weakly at goalkeeper Jean-Paul Ah-Kong when he should have scored.

La Passe made them pay for their profligacy just past the half hour mark when there was no apparent danger as Rhino played the ball into the penalty area but Malagasy Florent reacted quickly to loft the ball over goalkeeper Bijoux to make it 1-0.

The Lions levelled matters in the 40th minute from Randrina’s free kick which Christopher Derjacques headed across to Varney who stabbed the ball home for a 1-1 score at half-time.

There were more goal-scoring opportunities in the second half in this open contest and Charlette missed a sitter in the 53rd minute after Valdo Azemia picked him out with a fantastic ball.

In the 62nd minute, Laurent Vel should have scored with his first touch from another brilliant ball by Randrina but he shot wide.

La Passe also had their chances such as in the 70th minute from Rhino’s through ball to Perry Monnaie who created space to unleash a fierce shot but goalkeeper Bijoux produced a top drawer save.

Two minutes later, Monnaie was again thwarted by goalkeeper Bijoux after he had raced clear to shoot low at The Lions’ custodian.

In the 73rd minute, The Lions’ Vel squandered a gilt-edge opportunity as the La Passe defence gave the ball to him after a mix-up and with the goal at his mercy, he decided to slip a pass to Randrina who was offside.

Three minutes later at the other end as both teams went all out for a win, Rhino played a quick free kick to substitute Kenny Nibourette who squared the ball to Florent but he pulled his shot wide from close range.

La Passe though got a lucky break in the 86th minute as Monnaie twisted and turned on the right before crossing the ball into the penalty area but The Lions substitute Daven Belle inadvertently turned the ball into his own net to hand all the points to the La Digue side in a 2-1 victory.

The La Passe coach Bruno Saindini felt his side did not play to the expected level but was satisfied they won their first three points.

“It was a difficult match where we did not play well but the important thing was to win the three points though we did not make use of the numerous opportunities we created to score.  But it was good to win before our next away match to Côte D’Or,” coach Saindini said.

As for The Lions coach Marc Mathiot, he said his team showed encouraging signs despite their second defeat in as many matches.

“We showed a marked improvement from our last match and we are slowly showing progress, but it was just too bad we failed to convert the number of scoring chances we had as we were too wasteful,” coach Mathiot said.

Foresters rip apart Anse Reunion

Foresters ripped apart Anse Reunion in a 5-0 romping on Saturday at the L’Union playing field.

Ugandan Tony Kizito opened the floodgates in the 13th minute and three minutes later, he bagged his brace for a 2-0 lead.

Kizito, who returned to this Mont Fleuri-based side this season after a short spell in Thailand, grabbed his hat-trick in the 34th minute for a 3-0 advantage at half-time.

Forester’s skipper, Malagasy Leonard Besabotsy also got in on the scoring act as he made it 4-0 in the 64th minute before former Northern Dynamo striker Yannick Norah wrapped up the scoring for the players of coach Bryan Bastienne for a 5-0 thumping which Anse Reunion coach Elsie Ernesta described as her team’s worst performance.

R. J-L.