Football: Land Marine Cup-Sunshine floor St Michel |14 October 2005

St Michel were still admiring their new long-sleeve outfit when Sunshine stunned them with a quick-fire goal by Robert Suzette 39 seconds into the match.

The early goal gave Sunshine the confidence to stretch St Michel who lacked ideas and gave away the ball too often.

In the seventh minute, Michael Ernest galloped down the right flank to cut the ball back to Suzette who should have hit the target from an unmarked position.

St Michel could only conjure a half-chance in the 11th minute from Marcel Labiche’s corner which Lorenzo Mathiot headed on to Alex Nibourette who in turn headed wide from close range.

Sunshine though still had the edge and in the 25th minute, captain Denis Barbé stole into the penalty area to meet Suzette’s in-swinging corner but he glanced wide a gilt-edge opportunity.

St Michel rallied in the last 15 minutes of the first half and Don Anacoura forced a good save out of goalie Philip Battin in the 35th minute after being set up by Malagasy Leonni Nastinan.

In the second half, St Michel came out with more conviction and in the 47th minute, Godfrey Denis could not keep his shot low.

Ten minutes later, Alex Nibourette stormed into attack, riding some tackles on the way and his cross was cleared as far as Nastinan who volleyed over the bar with Sunshine’s defence in disarray.

As St Michel pegged Sunshine in their own half, the game grew physical and referee Gerald Gonthier had trouble keeping the match under control as some niggling fouls went unpunished.
Just past the hour mark (63rd minute), St Michel were denied an equaliser by ‘keeper Battin who tipped over Nastinan’s cracking shot.

St Michel though always looked vulnerable in defence as they pushed forward and in the 73rd minute, Suzette failed to score after eluding Danny César’s tackle.

Suzette was at the thick of the action five minutes later when he exploited space on the right to race clear. Goalie Nelson Sopha came out to intercept the ball but he failed. With Suzette running at goal, keeper Sopha stopped him with a lunging tackle from behind in the penalty area which deserved a straight red card as he was the last player. But referee Gonthier was too lenient, fishing out only a yellow card along with a spot kick.

The Sunshine bench was furious that Sopha had not been sent off for the professional foul, but skipper Barbé kept his cool to send the St Michel custodian the wrong way (2-0).

At this point, St Michel had given up whereas Sunshine went close in the 80th minute but Sopha saved at the second attempt Barbé’s raking shot.

A minute later, St Michel rode their luck as substitute Nerick Athanase stole a ball but in a three-on-one situation, the former Plaisance striker went for glory and goalie Sopha tipped over his fierce drive.

In the 82nd minute, Sunshine put the final nail in St Michel’s coffin. It all started when substitute Ronny Rose turned defender Mathiot inside out to flash a cross across goal where Suzette sneaked in ahead of Athanase to tap home his second goal of the match and his team’s third.

St Michel were rather furious with the official at the end of the match but they should rather blame themselves for such a lackluster performance on a heavy pitch where they were outfought and outplayed by a determined Sunshine side. 
Worthy winners Sunshine will next play La Passe.

R. J-L.