Football: Airtel Cup-St Louis Suns overcome SMB, Light Stars win |10 March 2008

St Louis Suns United v SMB

St Louis Suns United must be happy with a comfortable victory over their bogey team SMB at Stad Linite on Saturday.
SMB though should have taken the lead in the 16th minute as Hendrick Labrosse broke clear but facing goalie Eugene Valentin, he shot wide.

St Louis Suns United’s first real chance fell to Mervin Mathiot in the 24th minute but he headed Jones Joubert’s cross wide.
Six minutes later, again Joubert centred to Congolese Jonathan Mbanze who could not hit the target.

St Louis Suns United’s pressure paid off in the 35th minute as Mbanze lofted a free-kick to Achille Henriette who volleyed past SMB’s goalie Antoine Dubel for a 1-0 lead.

In the second half, St Louis Suns United continued to dominate but failed to create clear opportunities and their second goal only came in the 76th minute as substitute Trevor Poiret was brought down by Serge Asba in the penalty area. Referee Gonzague Boniface pointed to the spot and captain Jonathan Bibi stepped up to send goalie Dubel the wrong way for a 2-0 lead.

Five minutes later, St Louis Suns United compounded SMB’s misery as substitute Michael Ernest pounced on a defensive mistake to pick out Henriette with an inch-perfect cross and the latter fired the ball past goalie Dubel to complete his brace and make it 3-0.

In the 88th minute, Mbanze set up substitute Nerick Athanase who forced a good save out of goalie Dubel.
St Louis Suns United’s coach Marc Mathiot told Sports Nation that his team had met their objective of winning their first match of the season.

As for SMB’s coach Roger Labonté, he said that he is still adjusting his squad who were missing eight of their regular players.

Anse Réunion v St Michel

La Digue-based Anse Réunion managed to hold League and Cup champions St Michel to a 1-1 draw at home on Saturday.
Yelvanny Rose gave defending Airtel Cup winners Anse Réunion a first half lead, but St Michel’s Malagasy Pascal equalised in the dying minute of the second half.

Light Stars v Plaisance

Praslin-based Light Stars brought Plaisance down to earth with a convincing 3-1 win at the Baie Ste Anne Praslin playing field.

Kenneth Radegonde scored for Light Stars in the 18th minute but two minutes later, Eddie Samedi equalised for Plaisance who had beaten Foresters 4-0 in their first match.

In the 22nd minute, Radegonde restored the lead for Light Stars for a 2-1 score at half-time. Kevin Prosper wrapped the points for the Praslin-based team with an 86th minute goal.

It is worth noting that Plaisance had a player sent off and also lost captain Etienne Jean with an ankle injury.

Foresters v La Passe

Foresters, who had striker Francis Nourrice sent off in the first half by referee Jourdan Benstrong for dissent, held La Passe to a 2-2 draw last Friday at Stad Linite.

Foresters had been the better side as Andrew Figaro twice had decent chances to open the score early on but he fluffed both opportunities.

In the 13th minute, Alpha Baldé, who was making his debut with Foresters, floated a free-kick into the box and Nourrice’s back header was saved by goalie Vincent Euphrasie.

La Passe took the lead against the run of play in the 19th minute as Tanzanian Rashid Mohammed exploited space on the left to flash a centre across goal and Gitano Ladouce bundled the ball over the goal-line to make it 1-0.

In the 30th minute, referee Benstrong, on the advice of his assistant Jason Damoo, booked Nourrice for a dangerous foul and seconds later decided to dish out a straight red to the striker after an exchange of words.

The second half was a more interesting affair and in the 49th minute, La Passe should have taken the lead as Malagasy Asman Abdou’s teasing cross was missed by goalie Roy René and Garry Radegonde had a clear chance but he made a meal of his shot.

Ten minutes later, La Passe should have been awarded a penalty as defender Dereck Figaro hacked down Gitano Ladouce but referee Benstrong surprisingly turned a blind eye.

In the 62nd minute, La Passe’s defender Etienne Fanchette went on a mazy run and his fierce near post shot was parried by goalie René.

Six minutes later, Foresters were given a life-line as Dereck Figaro floated a free-kick into the penalty area and goalie Euphrasie hesitated. Ian Mellie punished him as he headed into an empty net to level matters at 1-1.

A minute later, Foresters were awarded a penalty by referee Benstrong. It started when Baldé charged into the penalty box and as he battled for the ball with Etienne Fanchette, he went down and the official pointed to the spot. Baldé got up to give his team a 2-1 lead from the penalty spot.

La Passe though upped the tempo and they drew level in the 74th minute as Mohammed out-sped Michel Oreddy to side-foot the ball past goalie René to make it 2-2.

La Passe kept the pressure and in a mêlée in the penalty area, Adbou curled a ball which crashed onto the cross-bar.
At the other end in the 78th minute, Baldé stole the ball from Verna Rose but he shot across goal when he should have hit the target.

In the 81st minute, Foresters rode their luck as Abdou’s deep cross came off Figaro to hit a post before the danger was cleared. A minute later, Abdou forced a great one-handed save from goalie René.
In the end, a draw was a fair result.

R. J-L.