Football: Barclays league division one-St Michel march on, La Passe and LightStars win |27 September 2010

At Stad Linite on Saturday, Praslin-based LightStars earned a 1-0 win over St Francis.

St Michel started strongly as they tried to avoid the dogfight as when they beat the same opponents in the Land Marine Cup. In the eighth minute, captain Don Anacoura laid the ball into the path of Malagasy Nestor Benahovy but he blazed the ball wide.

Six minutes later, Anacoura again did brilliantly to centre to Carl Hall at the far post but he missed the target.

On the half hour mark, St Michel broke the deadlock after some superb work by Hall on the bye-line to elude a couple of tackles to pick out Trevor Vidot whose shot was pushed out by goalie Jules Monnaie as far as Alex Nibourette who rammed home the rebound for a 1-0 lead.

Two minutes later, St Michel almost doubled their advantage as Benahovy floated a corner to Allen Larue but he could not direct his header on target.

St Michel had to replace goal scorer Nibourette on the stroke of half time as he suffered a cut above his eye in a clash of heads and he was taken to hospital where he received two stitches. He was replaced by Gervais Waye-Hive as the half ended.

Dynamo had a decent chance in the 61st minute after some good approach work by Francis Moumou and his teasing cross flashed across the face of goal but there was no one to connect.

In the 65th minute, Dynamo’s Steve Henriette, the reigning footballer of the year, stupidly handled Benahovy’s long ball in the penalty area and referee Nelson Emile quite rightly pointed to the penalty spot. Anacoura stepped up to fire past Monnaie to make it 2-0.

In the 79th minute, St Michel played a neat set-piece as Anacoura rolled a corner to Benahovy who set up fellow Malagasy Jimmy Radafison whose fierce shot flew wide.

Two minutes later, Waye-Hive combined with Anacoura who threaded a pass to him but Monnaie denied him.

On the stroke of full-time, St Michel should have added a third as Waye-Hive floated a corner to Hall whose downward header was cleared on the goal-line but St Michel had done enough to secure the points.

La Passe edge Anse Reunion

Defending champions La Passe edged Anse Reunion 2-1 in a la Digue derby on Saturday.

La Passe opened the scoring through Malagasy captain Bruno Saindina in the first half, but Anse Reunion levelled matters through Malagasy Jean-Del’Or Tsaralaza for a 1-1 half-time score.

However, Jean-Del’Or was sent off in the second half for a second bookable offence, handing the advantage to La Passe who won this derby with a strike from midfielder Geal Jessinghaus to secure three vital points which keep them five points behind leaders St Michel.

LightStars beat St Francis

Praslin side LightStars secured a vital victory at Stad Linite on Saturday, a win which almost guarantees them their first division status for next season at Stad Linite on Saturday.

There were very few spectators for this bottom-of-the-table clash but Andy Brioche scored the all-important goal in the 15th minute as he beat goalie Andrea Libanotis with a low shot.

Overall LightStars were the better side and in the 73rd minute they should have been awarded a penalty when Renick Esther raced through and was brought down by a defender but referee Emile Fred was not convinced.

A minute later, Renick Esther again threatened as he cut inside a defender but his low shot was well stopped by Libanotis.

In the 83rd minute, St Francis thought they had drawn level as Malagasy Robert Edmond’s shot was deflected to Kevin Louis who fired into the net but his celebration was short-lived as he was signaled offside.

St Francis’ last chance to equalise came in the dying minute after Evans Esther was brought down on the edge of the penalty area by Perry Nibourette but Harry Libanotis blazed the resulting free-kick over the cross bar.
The win has propelled LightStars into fifth position with 20 points.

R. J-L.