Football: Barclays league division one playoff-Télémaque’s treble tames The Lions |05 November 2010

Dynamo are one of the teams who have been most involved in play-off battles, and their experience showed as they had the measure of The Lions who never looked the part.

Dynamo almost grabbed a sensational goal in the opening minute as Télémaque threaded a free-kick to Malagasy captain Asman Todisoa, whose shot was blocked by The Lions goalie Jerome Dingwall.

They always looked dangerous, and in the 13th minute Valerio Dorothé’s long ball over the defence fell to Marcus Maria. He headed it over Dingwall, who tried desperately to keep it out, for a 1-0 lead.

On the half-hour mark, Dynamo doubled their advantage from another long ball to Télémaque. The Lions captain Jones Joubert seemed to cut out the danger but lost possession to Télémaque, who fired past Dingwall to make it 2-0.

In the 39th minute, Dynamo stretched their lead as captain Todisoa pounced on a loose ball to outsprint Michael Ernest to shoot into the net for a 3-0 scoreline.

However, Dynamo gifted The Lions a goal from a lapse of concentration in the 42nd minute when defender Ronny Marengo’s reckless tackle on Darren Payet resulted in a penalty awarded by referee Emile Fred.

Ted Radegonde drilled the ball home despite goalie Jules Monnaie getting a touch for a 3-1 half-time score.

Dynamo restored their three-goal advantage in the 48th minute as Marcus Maria went on a mazy run past three defenders before releasing Télémaque, who buried his shot for a 4-1 lead.

In the 52nd minute, Dynamo missed a sitter as captain Todisoa laid the ball on a plate to both Télémaque and Maria, who missed and it rolled to Marcus Emmanuel, who hit the crossbar with the goal at his mercy.

Dynamo were cruising but again shot themselves in the foot as they gave away another penalty in the 54th minute when Steve Henriette needlessly brought down substitute Dave Max in full flight.

Referee Fred pointed to the spot and Max sent Monnaie the wrong way to reduce the score to 2-4.

Télémaque completed his hat-trick in the 71st minute from another good move by Maria, who eluded captain Joubert’s sliding tackle on the far corner. Keeper Dingwall tried to come out to cut out the danger but Maria floated the ball over him to Télémaque, who scored with an easy header to make it 5-2.

In the 87th minute, Dynamo produced the best move of the match involving Maria, Télémaque and Todisoa, but with only Dingwall to beat Maria amazingly shot wide.

The Lions nearly scored a third in the 86th minute from substitute Nicolas Mussard’s cross-cum-shot, but Monnaie produced a great reaction save to push the ball out for a corner.

A minute later, they did reduce the arrears from Clint Saffrance’s pinpoint cross to Radegonde, whose free header flew in the net for a 3-5 score.

Dynamo felt they deserved a penalty of their own in the dying minutes as Ernest appeared to have pulled down Maria, but referee Fred waved play on.

In the end, Dynamo’s class prevailed as they retained their first division status, while the boys of coach Fernand Gamatis will have to be content with life in the second division for another season.

R. J-L.