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Archive - Archive 2004 - July 2013

Football: Airtel Cup semifinal-St Louis Suns floor Anse Reunion |16 June 2009

Football: Airtel Cup semifinal-St Louis Suns floor Anse Reunion

Brutus floored Anse Reunion to book St Louis Suns’ place in the final against St MichelSt Louis Suns were the favourites to progress in this match, but Anse Reunion always raise their game against top opposition.
St Louis Suns’ new foreign recruit, Ugandan Jimmy Kidega, made his debut and showed why he is a classy midfielder as he gave an impressive performance.

St Louis Suns were very attack-minded, and in the second minute Trevor Poiret fired into the side-netting from a good position.

Two minutes later, they should have been awarded a penalty as Fabien Cadeau bore in on goal and was brought down by Julius Adrienne. However, referee Jean-Claude Labrosse failed to point to the spot.

In the fifth minute, Anse Reunion threatened from Malagasy Milison Niasere’s cross to Yelvanny Rose but he headed straight at goalie Eugene Valentin.

In the 14th minute, St Louis Suns went agonisingly close as Cadeau intercepted goalie Ricky Rose’s throw-out. Rose redeemed himself by saving Cadeau’s near-post shot for a lucky escape for the La Digue outfit.

St Louis Suns duly went ahead in the 26th minute after four consecutive corners. Cadeau’s corner was half-cleared to Yannick Charlette, whose weak cross was miscued to Wilnes Brutus, whose low shot beat Rose for a 1-0 lead.

Eight minutes later, St Louis Suns should have doubled their advantage as Brutus released Poiret, who controlled the ball but his shot was charged down by Ricky Rose.

In the 37th minute, Kidega threaded a glorious pass to Cadeau but he was stopped in his stride for a non-existent offside.
In the 43rd minute, St Louis Suns countered through Charlette, who fed Brutus but Rose was quick off his line to clear the danger.

Anse Reunion came all out in the second period to level matters as they caused St Louis Suns all sorts of problems. In the 59th minute, Roderick Rose floated a free kick, which was met by Malagasy Jocelyn, but it flew just wide of the post.

In the 73rd minute, Brutus robbed a defender of the ball to set up substitute Andy Mougal, who blazed his shot wide.
Five minutes later, Malagasy substitute Hasinarivola Rijaniaina latched on to a through ball and cut back to feed Brutus, who fired wide.

Anse Reunion should have drawn level in the 87th minute from a mistake by St Louis Suns’ captain, Malagasy Jimmy Radafison, which let in Jocelyn whose teasing cross should have been buried by Yelvanny Rose, but somehow he rifled over the crossbar with the goal at his mercy.

St Louis Suns’ substitute Alpha Baldé had two superb opportunities to secure victory in the dying minutes as he first saw his shot saved (90th minute) and minutes later he fired narrowly wide after linking up with Brutus.

Anse Reunion coach Vojo Gardasevic told Sports Nation that his team had managed to contain St Louis Suns but a lapse in concentration in their defence cost them the match.  He said they had had chances to trouble St Louis Suns.

As for his counterpart, St Louis Suns’ Malagasy coach Henri, he said his opponents’ defensive style made it difficult to break them down. He added that his team’s preparation had also been affected by his players’ work commitment though he praised Kidega for his performance on his debut.

R. J-L.

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