Football: Barclays league division one-St Michel, La Passe and Côte D’Or win, Anse Reunion drop points |01 October 2012
La Passe return to winning ways
La Passe had dropped five points in two matches and therefore changed their team around
La Passe always had the edge over Quincy who had suffered a battering in their last match. On Saturday, coach Dereck Barbe stood in for coach Elsie Ernesta but could not stop another heavy defeat.
La Passe were eager for an early breakthrough to settle their nerves and Malagasy Fredo, playing in a threesome defence, forced a good save out of goalkeeper Trevor Bill in the 13th minute.
La Passe had to wait until the 21st minute to open the scoring after Renick Esther had been fouled on the penalty edge. Captain Achille Henriette curled in a low free kick which goalkeeper Bill allowed to sneak in under his body for a 1-0 lead.
Seconds later, La Passe extended their lead as Quincy lost the ball from the kick off which was played to Malagasy Fanampin Fagnorena who fired low past goalkeeper Bill to make it 2-0.
In the 22nd minute, Quincy had a decent chance after Michel Joubert set up George Ravinia whose strong shot was well stopped by goalkeeper Vincent Euphrasie.
Two minutes later Renick Esther collected a poor clearance by goalkeeper Bill but he shot wide as Quincy rode their luck.
In the 33rd minute, La Passe extended their lead as Verna Rose bore forward to center to the unmarked Renick Esther who controlled the ball and rifled into the net to make it 3-0.
Fagnorena missed a glaring goal in the 38th minute from Renick Esther’s perfect cross but goalie Bill managed to get a touch to the downward header to direct it into corner.
On the stroke of half time, captain Henriette combined with the impressive Tholix Jean to cross to Renick Esther who penalised a hesitant goalie Bill to head home La Passe’s fourth goal for a 4-0 half time lead.
In the second half, Quincy had a gilt edge opportunity to reduce the arrears in the 49th minute as Charles De Clarisse latched onto a through ball and goalie Euphrasie came out but did not get to the ball. However goalie Euphrasie had time to backtrack to push the De Clarisse’s shot into corner.
In the 55th minute, La Passe scored a cracking goal as Fagnorena fought for the ball to square to Tholix Jean whose sweet volley crashed into the roof of the net despite goalie Bill getting a touch to it for a 5-0 lead.
Two minutes later Malagasy Fredo was unlucky as his header from Verna Rose’s cross came off the crossbar. However Renick Eshter fouled goalie Bill as he went to head loose the ball into the net and referee Jean-Claude Labrosse penalised the striker.
In the 65th minute, Renick Esther and Fagnorera twice forced two brilliant saves out of goalkeeper Bill who kept the La Passe forwards at bay from close range.
In the 75th minute, Fredo scored with a superb free kick on the penalty edge but referee Jean-Claude Labrosse rightly disallowed the goal as he had awarded an indirect free kick.
Quincy’s Malagasy striker Paul Rabibison should have reduced the deficit in the 88th minute from a good pass by Jerry Freminot. But on his debut, Rabibison allowed goalie Euphrasie to turn his shot into corner.
La Passe increased their advantage in the 87th minute as captain Henriette rolled the ball to Verna Rose whose blistering shot was parried into the path of substitute Collin Bibi who easily tapped in for a 6-0 score.
In the 90th minute, captain Henriette played a corner to Tholix Jean who fed Geal Gesinghaus who fed Collin Bibi who slotted the ball home for a 7-0 final score.
Côte D’Or – LightStars
Côte D’Or’s Dine Suzette scored a last gasp goal in the 93rd minute as he lobbed goalkeeper Basil Esther for a 1-0 victory over their neighbours LightStars at the Amitié Stadium on Saturday.
St Roch hold Anse Reunion to a draw
St Roch registered a goalless draw against Anse Reunion on Saturday on La Digue.
Anse Reunion, who were flying high after defeating La Passe, could not break down a resolute St Roch who had beaten St Louis Suns last week.
St Michel turn on the style against St Louis Suns
Defending league champions St Michel turned on the style as they swept aside St Louis Suns 4-1 at Stad Linite on Friday evening.
St Michel team celebrated their patronal festival on Saturday -- St Michel the Arch Angel -- joyously as they thwarted the challenge of their bitter rivals with a top class display.
St Louis Suns were always second best in this match where they were very poor, especially in defence and toothless in attack as they missed the suspended Trevor Poiret and Fabien Cadeau.
St Michel ripped open the St Louis Suns defence at will and could have gone ahead in the third minute as Leeroy Corallie capitalised on a defensive error to set up Malagasy Jean Delor Tsarlaza who instead of going for goal squared to his captain Don Anacoura whose shot was blocked.
Four minutes later St Michel’s goalkeeper Nelson Sopha started the attack with a long goal kick which Delor flicked into the path of the galloping Gervais Waye-Hive who raced clear. Waye-Hive centred to Delor whose shot was blocked and as the ball hanged in the air, Delor leapt to head narrowly wide as St Louis suns stood static.
St Michel duly took the lead in the 10th minute from another defensive mistake as St Louis Suns defender Steven Constance headed a long ball into the path of Delor who punished him with an acrobatic shot which went in off the post for a 1-0 lead.
Two minutes later St Michel were denied a penalty after Corallie’s initial shot was charged down as far as Waye-Hive whose shot came off Constance’s head as he lay on the floor. But referee Nelson Emile, who had a poor game, opted to award a corner instead of pointing to the penalty spot.
St Louis Suns were out of sorts in defence as they had their backs to the wall and in the 15th minute, Corallie sneaked in between Damien Maria and Marlon Asba but blazed his shot over the cross bar.
In the 19th minute, St Louis Suns had a half chance from captain Denis Barbe’s free kick to Congolese striker Jonathan Mbanze making his first start. But Mbanze’s header was easily saved by goalkeeper Sopha.
St Michel were creating so many chances but they were also wasteful in front of goal such as in the 34th minute as Corallie latched onto a long ball but he failed to hit the target.
Three minutes later Delor wasted an even better chance after Nelson Laurence played a glorious pass into his path and he bore on goal but shot weakly at goalkeeper Elvis Leopold.
Controversy loomed large in the 41st minute when goalkeeper Sopha collected a high ball but was clearly impeded by Mbanze who clattered into him forcing him to drop the ball as a result of the forceful impact. Amazingly as the whole stadium awaited referee Nelson Emile to penalise the St Louis Suns striker for a blatant foul, the official allowed play to go on and Mervin Mathiot accepted the gift to shoot past Nigel Freminot who stood on the goalline to level the score at 1-1.
The St Michel players, officials and fans were furious at the official for failing to award a glaring foul and he suffered a barrage of insults from the stands for the gross injustice towards their team.
As for Mbanze, he lay on the floor injured and was taken off to receive treatment but could not return as the first half ended on a sour note as the St Michel camp vented their anger at the official at the break.
Mbanze was replaced by Marvin Lafleur in the second half while St Michel brought on Alex Nibourette to give them more width on the left in place of Allen Larue.
St Michel though picked off where they left in the second period as they tried to put this incident behind them and Malagasy Jimmy Radafison almost restored their advantage with a thumping header from Waye-Hive’s corner which sailed inches wide.
A minute later, Nibourette’s introduction proved inspirational as he buried Waye-Hive’s pinpoint cross with a thumping header for a 2-1 lead much to the relief and joy of their supporters.
The Ghurkas were also called in during this half to try and calm down a few of the supporters which had become agitated by events on the field.
On the pitch, St Louis Suns showed a bit more urgency now and in the 64th minute captain Barbe played a quick free kick to Mathiot who headed back to Carlos Nourrice but he shot tamely at goalie Sopha.
Four minutes later St Michel had a decent opportunity to stretch their lead as captain Anacoura and Waye-Hive combined for a short corner and Anacoura’s cross dropped invitingly to Delor but he stooped to head straight at goalie Leopold from close range.
Former St Louis Suns defender Radafison was again unlucky with a towering header in the 81st minute from Waye-Hive’s corner which flew agonisingly wide.
A minute later, St Louis Suns goalie Leopold played a ball straight at Waye-Hive who linked up with substitute Wilnes Brutus who centred to Delor who was marginally offside to save the custodian’s blushes.
St Michel scored a third in the 88th minute somewhat controversially as Lafleur was clearly tackled from behind but referee Emile allowed play to go on. St Michel then swept forward in a three against one situation and Waye-Hive picked out Delor who drilled the ball past goalkeeper Leopold to complete his brace and make it 3-1.
In injury time, St Michel were awarded a penalty after a reckless challenge by Constance on Laurence in the penalty area and the official rightly pointed to the spot.
Captain Anacoura coolly tucked the ball into the roof of the net for an emphatic 4-1 victory which keeps them at the top of the league standing on goal difference.
R.J.L