Football: Barclays league division one-La Passe, Anse Reunion win, St Louis Suns draw again |18 March 2013
La Passe v St Francis
La Passe were desperate for a win after their poor start the previous weekend at home in a
Achille Henriette made his first start for the season as he wore the captain’s armband and he proved inspirational as he scored a brace.
In fact, referee Gonzague Boniface dished out a yellow card against St Francis’ Malagasy player Malamo Ducaud only 15 seconds in the match as he brought down captain Henriette in a reckless tackle.
La Passe were buzzing as they played with purpose and almost took the lead as early as the second minute from Malagasy Valerie’s cross to captain Henriette but he could not direct his header on target.
Three minutes later, Malagasy Fanampin Fagnorena played a pass to Melvin Uranie, back in the La Passe team after a two-year spell with Côte d’Or. Uranie looked odds on to score but his shot was well dealt with by goalkeeper Andrea Libanotis.
La Passe’s good approach play soon paid off in the 18th minute as Uranie released Valerie who picked out captain Henriette on the edge of the penalty area. Henriette’s initial shot came off the post but he collected the rebound to ram it home for a 1-0 lead.
St Francis were furious with referee Boniface as they felt they should have been awarded a free-kick for a foul by Valerie on Stephen Leon in the build-up to the goal but it was to no avail.
St Francis tried to respond in the 20th minute from Stephen Esparon’s free-kick which forced goalkeeper Vincent Euphrasie to push the ball into corner.
La Passe though were still the better side and in the 24th minute, Valerie linked up with Garry Radegonde whose inch-perfect cross should have resulted in a goal but from an unmarked position, Malagasy Fagnorena headed wide.
St Francis, who struggled to find their rhythm, gifted La Passe a second goal in the 32nd minute as Rondy Onezime inexplicably raised his arm to handle Valerie’s cross and referee Boniface had no other option but to award a penalty. Captain Henriette took the spot kick which he fired low and goalkeeper Libanotis got a touch but could not stop the 2011 footballer of the year from completing his brace to make it 2-0.
In the 44th minute, captain Henriette floated a corner to Garry Radegonde who missed a clear header to increase his team’s lead.
La Passe though added a third goal deep in the first half injury time as Fagnorena latched onto Uranie’s through ball. St Francis’ goalkeeper Libanotis seemed to have the ball covered but inexplicably the ball slipped from his grasp to gift Fagnorena an easy tap-in for a 3-0 advantage at the break.
The second half was anti-climax as La Passe were too casual while St Francis tried hard to redress the balance but with little luck.
In the first minute of the second period, Malagasy Hery broke clear but La Passe’s young defender Laurel Ladouce produced a last-ditch tackle to deny him a goal-scoring opportunity.
St Francis huffed and puffed as they surged forward while La Passe tried to catch them on the break.
St Francis were annoyed with the official in the 84th minute as Harry Libanotis’ free-kick looked to hit a defender’s hand for a penalty before the ball dropped to substitute Ahmed Adrienne who volleyed over the crossbar. But the official failed to award the penalty, much to the annoyance of the St Francis bench.
In the 87th minute, St Francis again threatened as some neat play by Malagasy Branly Zizi allowed him to send the ball across the face of goal to Malagasy Hery but he shot wide with the goal at his mercy.
La Passe also had two glorious chances to increase their score such as in the 88th minute on a swift counter by Fagnorena to Henriette who centred to substitute Stephan Morel who failed to convert at the near post.
In the dying seconds, Henriette should have completed his hat-trick after some good approach work by substitute Yves Zialor and Morel to release him. But captain Henriette, with only goalkeeper Libanotis to beat, allowed the St Francis custodian to block his shot.
After the match, La Passe’s coach Bruno Saindini was just pleased his team had won the match.
“We played well in the first half but dropped our level in the second. But the important thing is the three points to keep in touch with the pacemakers in the league,” coach Saindini said.
Anse Reunion v St Roch
Ten-man Anse Reunion edged St Roch 1-0 on La Digue on Saturday.
Anse Reunion had defender Samuel Amice stupidly sent off by referee Jean-Claude Labrosse for a reckless tackle in the second half.
But Malagasy Hugo Sezou scored the all-important goal late in the match to give his team all the points.
LightStars v St Louis Suns
St Louis Suns defender Steve Henriette scored in the second half to give his team a share of the points against LightStars in a 1-1 draw on Praslin on Saturday.
Malagasy Mario Ravo had given the Praslin side the lead in the first half.
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Barclays league division one scorers
Alpha Baldé (St Roch) 3 goals
Bertrand Lablache (LightStars) 2 goals
Achille Henriette (La Passe) 2 goals
Mario Ravo (LightStars) 2 goal
Fanampin Fagnorena (La Passe (1 goal)
Antonio Rakotoarinosy (The Lions) 1 goal
Rachim Padayachy (The Lions) 1 goal
Malvin Pierre (St Roch) 1 goal
Clariel Rakotondramina (St Louis Suns) 1 goal
Steve Henriette (St Louis Suns) 1 goal
Nelson Laurence (St Michel) 1 goal
Steven Télémaque (Northern Dynamo) 1 goal
Senky Vidot (La Passe) 1 goal
Collin Esther (Côte d’Or) 1 goal
Hugo Sezou (Anse Reunion) 1 goal
Marcus Maria (Northern Dynamo) 1 goal
Basil Bertin (Northern Dynamo) 1 goal
R. J-L.