Football: Airtel Cup-Plaisance shock Foresters |26 February 2008
It was a dream start for Plaisance against Foresters, who paid the price for underestimating
Plaisance started brightly with diminutive Andy Mougal posing the greatest threat with his movement and skill on the ball.
The 2007 Barclays League Division Two champions shocked Foresters in the 21st minute as Mougal drove a raking free-kick on the edge of the penalty area across goal and there was former Northern Dynamo striker Eddie Samedi to side-foot the ball home past a stranded goalkeeper Christopher Bibi for a 1-0 lead.
Samedi almost added a second goal four minutes later as he latched onto Eric Bertin’s cross behind Foresters’ defence but goalie Bibi saved the day.
In the 27th minute, Foresters produced a great move which should have resulted in a goal as Norvil Gaspard linked up with captain Francis Nourrice, whose teasing cross across the goal dropped invitingly to Aaron Jean who, from point-blank range, shot straight at Plaisance’s goalie Peter Toule.
After weathering some Foresters’ pressure, Plaisance extended their lead in the 42nd minute from Rondy Labiche’s throw-in to Bernard Cécile whose intelligent pass over the defence set Mougal free and he lobbed goalie Bibi for a 2-0 lead.
Foresters got from bad to worse as Malagasy captain Robert Edmond played a routine pass to Jason Fred in the 44th minute but he completely missed his clearance which let in the lurking Mougal who raced through to place the ball beyond goalie Bibi’s reach for a stunning 3-0 lead.
Foresters made a double substitution early in the second half as they went all out to redress the situation.
In the 50th minute, Aaron Jean shot weakly at goalie Toule following a mêlée in the penalty area.
Plaisance though were still dangerous on the counter and in the 63rd minute, goalie Bibi did well to deny Mougal his hat-trick.
At the other end in the 64th minute, Aaron Jean missed another sitter from Jason Fred’s free-kick.
In the 72nd minute, Foresters suffered further misery as debutant substitute Colin Marie, formerly with Northern Dynamo, was yellow-carded for a crude tackle on Plaisance’s captain Etienne Jean. Seconds later, Marie was sent off as he appeared to exchange words with referee Jean-Claude Labrosse.
Two minutes later, Plaisance put the final nail in Foresters’ coffin as Mougal and Samedi played a delightful one-two which opened Foresters’ defence and as goalie Bibi inexplicably raced off his goal-line, Samedi punished him with an easy lob to complete his brace and make it 4-0.
Plaisance’s coach Lionel Young was very pleased with the victory though he was honest enough to say that he did not expect such a score-line. Coach Young added that the Airtel Cup will serve as a preparation for the league challenge where they are planning to hold their own this season.
R. J-L.
The article is sponsored by Airtel