Football: Airtel Cup -St Michel tear apart LightStars |04 July 2011

Northern Dynamo dampen St Francis’ spirit

Northern Dynamo showed their intention early as young Basil Bertin opened the scoring in the sixth minute, firing a cross past goalie Andrea Libanotis for a 1-0 lead.

Bertin could have added to his tally with two more decent chances. In the 14th minute, Marcus Emmanuel rolled the ball into his path but he fluffed the chance with the goal at his mercy.

In the 20th minute, Dynamo’s defender Steve Henriette went on a marauding run from defence as he skipped past some half-hearted tackles but shot agonisingly wide from a tight angle.

Four minutes later, Marcus Maria and Malagasy Asman Todisoa combined for the former to thump a shot at Libanotis who cleared the danger with his feet.

However, St Francis drew level against the run of play in the 32nd minute from Ronny Monthy’s deep cross and Malagasy Rajonaina Rakotomanga sneaked in with a header which flew past goalie Jules Monnaie for a 1-1 score.

St Francis started brightly in the second period and just past the hour mark striker-turned-defender Nicolas Atala dispossessed Bertin to pick out Yves Zialor who looked odds on to score but Monnaie produced a point-blank save. In the impending mêlée, the ball fell to Alpha Baldé who shot narrowly wide, synonymous of his performance on Friday.

In the 62nd minute, St Francis threatened again as Rakotomanga showed great control to elude a defender but his curler flew inches off target.

A minute later, Zialor chased a long ball and held it before setting up Baldé who was destined to score but a fantastic last-ditch tackle by Steve Henriette denied him.

In the 70th minute, Dynamo countered swiftly after Rakotomanga had blasted a good chance over the crossbar. Maria burst clear down the right and his far post cross was met by Todisoa’s header which looked goal-bound but appeared to be blocked by Damien Tamboo’s hand.  The Dynamo players and bench pleaded for a penalty but referee Jean-Claude Labrosse turned down their appeal.

Dynamo though were duly rewarded in the 81st minute as substitute Evans Télémaque played a cross-field pass over the St Francis defence to Maria who drilled the ball home for a 2-1 advantage.

Dynamo’s Valerio Dorothé should have added a third in the 84th minute after some neat play between himself and Télémaque. After running into the box to meet Télémaque’s return pass, Dorothé headed over the crossbar from five metres out but his team had done enough to secure all three points.

St Michel thump LightStars

St Michel travelled to Praslin and returned with a bag of goals and three points.
Wilnes Brutus gave his team a 1-0 half-time lead. St Michel were rampant in the second half as Brutus added two more goals to complete his hat-trick.

Leeroy Corallie made it 4-0 late in the second half and Don Anacoura put the icing on the cake with a fifth goal for a 5-0 victory on Praslin.

La Passe edge St Louis Suns

La Passe’s young and skillful player Marcus Labiche struck in the second period to give his team a 1-0 victory over visitors St Louis Suns on home soil on Saturday.

The Lions come back for 2-2 draw against St Roch

The Lions fought back from 2-0 down to hold St Roch to a 2-2 draw on Saturday at Stad Linite.
St Roch were slightly the better side and in the 12th minute, Steven Télémaque latched onto a through ball but shot across goal.

In the 21st minute, The Lions had a goal disallowed as captain Jones Joubert floated a free-kick into the box and Leeroy Gomme connected to score but assistant referee James Emile signaled for a dubious offside.

St Roch took the lead in the 37th minute as Patrick Cafrine bore on goal and Valdo Azemia brought him down in the penalty box with a lunging two-footed tackle. Referee Bernard Camille pointed to the penalty spot and Télémaque thumped the ball into the roof of the net for a 1-0 lead.

Denis Belle almost made it 2-0 with a towering header in the 38th minute from Malagasy Nestor Benahovy’s floated free-kick.

The second half was a more entertaining affair and in the 51st minute The Lions’ Dine Suzette broke clear but his point-blank shot was turned away by goalie Eugene Valentin and in the impending mêlée, The Lions failed to convert due to some strong defending by St Roch.

St Roch increased their lead after they were gifted a corner by goalie Jerome Dingwall. Télémaque floated the corner which came off a couple of St Roch players before Patrick Bonne headed the ball into the net for a 2-0 lead.

Sensing defeat, The Lions made some tactical changes, deploying only three in defence and in the 64th minute Dave Max combined with Dine Suzette who set up Gomme but his low shot hit the foot of the post.

The Lions though were not to be denied in the 80th minute as Suzette raced clear to square the ball to Max who cheekily flicked it into the net for a 2-1 score.

St Roch did not have time to grab their breath as The Lions struck again a minute later as Gomme released substitute Carlos Mondon who went on a good run before crossing to Max who beat Valentin to the ball with a header to make it 2-2.

Both teams pressed for a winner in the later stages but St Roch had the best opportunity in the 89th minute from Télémaque’s header.  However, Dingwall produced a superb flying save to ensure his team get a share of the spoils.

R. J-L.