Football: Barclays league division one-Mougal saves St Louis Suns’ blushes |21 August 2010

Dynamo had fielded over five young players and one of them – Shane Elizabeth – stunned St Louis Suns in the 15th minute to give his team a surprise lead.

Dynamo frustrated St Louis Suns for long periods in the match, and in the 20th minute they almost doubled their lead as Marcus Maria fed Malagasy captain Asman Todisoa, who failed to hit the target.

A minute later, St Louis Suns had a half chance from captain Trevor Poiret’s free-kick which goalie Jules Monnaie spilled. The ball broke to Poiret but he blazed over from the edge of the box.

In the 42nd minute, St Louis Suns managed to put a string of passes together and Mervin Mathiot’s cross fell to Fabien Cadeau, but his header was too soft to trouble Monnaie.

St Louis Suns upped the tempo in the second period and Monnaie pushed out Andy Mougal’s strong shot on the turn in the 49th minute.

Dynamo should have punished St Louis Suns from David Dorby’s mistake in the 69th minute, which let in Maria but he shot over the bar.

St Louis Suns changed to three at the back in the latter stages of the match as Serge Asba replaced Steven Constance.
In the 71st minute, Jonathan Bibi played a long ball to Mathiot, who lobbed Monnaie but the keeper recovered in time to clear the danger.

A minute later, Mougal latched on to Brian Dorby’s through ball but failed to beat Monnaie.

In the 74th minute, substitute Leeroy Gomme had a decent chance after a good move by St Louis Suns which resulted in Mathiot cutting the ball back to him, but he miscued his shot.

Two minutes later, Cadeau released Gomme, who went down under a strong challenge but referee Bernard Camille turned down St Louis Suns’ penalty appeal.

St Louis Suns finally conjured an equaliser in the 79th minute from Damien Maria’s deep free-kick which Asba headed back across goal to Mougal, who headed home from close range to level matters at 1-1.

Dynamo coach Cliff Nolin will have to take some blame for this goal as his substitution when St Louis Suns were preparing to take this free-kick distracted his team. He pulled off goal-scorer Elizabeth for a more defensive Randy Antat.

However, Dynamo had another great opportunity to steal all the points in the 89th minute as Maria latched on to a loose ball to run at the St Louis Suns defence. His curling shot was just pushed out by goalie Lesperance, though assistant referee Spiro failed to award a blatant corner.

In the end, St Louis Suns had to settle for a draw.

R. J-L.