Football: Airtel Cup - The Lions, La Passe, LightStars win |05 May 2014
The Lions registered a hard fought 2-0 win at Stad Linite against St Francis on Saturday in the Airtel Cup while on Praslin, LightStars came from behind to record a 2-1 victory. It was by a similar score that La Passe defeated Côte d’Or on La Digue whereas on Friday, Northern Dynamo held St Michel to a 2-2 draw.
The Lions add to St Francis’ misery
Cascade-based The Lions added to St Francis’ miserable season with a hard-earned 2-0 victory on Saturday.
The Lions started brightly and should have taken the lead in the 12th minute as Darrel Damoo latched onto a mistake to cut the ball back to Brian Dorby whose goal-bound shot was blocked by his own teammate Randolph Lablache.
St Francis responded three minutes later as Bernard St Ange’s well-hit volley was deflected into corner.
The Lions continued to push for an opener but wasted a good chance in the 34th minute when Laurent Vel skipped past Kenny Hoareau but instead of squaring to Gabonese Tony Moussikoue who was unmarked, he blazed his shot wide.
Four minutes later, St Francis’ Stephen Dijoux was lucky not to be sent off as he pulled back Damoo who had a clear run on goal after having played a neat one-two with Lablache.
In the second period, The Lions kept pressing forward and Lablache brought a good save out of St Francis Cameroonian goalkeeper Franck Moutoni from a free kick in the 54th minute.
On the hour mark, The Lions scored in controversial circumstances as Moussikoue wriggled his way past a couple of defenders but appeared to run the ball out of play. Unfortunately assistant referee Darnsley Télémaque failed to raise his flag and Moussikoue centred to Laurent Vel as St Francis players had stopped, waiting for the whistle. Vel blasted the ball into the net much to the dismay of St Francis who despite their complaints the goal stood to make it 1-0.
Damoo should have doubled The Lions’ lead six minutes later as he was released by Lablache but in a one-on-one situation with goalkeeper Moutoni, he allowed his shot to be blocked.
In the 71st minute, Malagasy Damani Razaparany Herizo raced onto substitute Darrel Lesperance’s threaded pass but goalkeeper Moutoni stood tall to deny him.
The Lions scored a second goal which was a well-constructed one-touch football in the 79th minute as Dave Max sent Damoo galloping down the left and his cross fell to Lesperance whose shot was blocked as far as Malagasy Clariel who drilled the loose ball into an empty net to make it 2-0.
St Francis’ misery was compounded in added time as St Ange was shown his second yellow followed by the red for dissent soon after two of his shots had been charged down by The Lions defence as the Baie Lazare team finished the match with 10 men and along with another defeat.
La Passe edge Côte d’Or
La Passe came from behind to beat Barclays league division one champions Côte d’Or 2-1 on La Digue on Saturday.
Côte d’Or though drew first blood as they took the lead through Steve Esther for a 1-0 advantage at half-time.
However, La Passe, who had defeated their Inner Island rivals in the league, drew level through a beautifully struck free kick by captain Achille Henriette to make it 1-1.
Renick Esther, who scored twice when the two teams last met, clinched the winner for La Passe over his former team for a 2-1 win.
LightStars sneak past Revengers
LightStars had to come from a goal down to sneak past their neighbours Revengers 2-1 at the Amitié Stadium on Saturday.
Newly promoted Revengers had taken an early lead through Malagasy Evariste from the penalty spot for a 1-0 score at the break.
LightStars came back to level matters courtesy of Malagasy striker Mario Ravo for a 1-1 score before Andrew Jean scored a second to inspire his team to a 2-1 victory.
Northern Dynamo hold St Michel to a draw
Northern Dynamo held cup holders St Michel to an exciting 2-2 draw at Stad Linite on Friday at Stad Linite.
St Michel, who were starting the defence of their Airtel Cup title, had made several changes to their line-up, giving a start to some of their fringe players in a new-look defence with only Alex Nibourette present to captain the side.
Nonetheless, the Anse Aux Pins-based side still dominated Dynamo who worked hard to deny their opponents space.
The first real chance of the match came in the 10th minute from a well-struck free kick by Malagasy Hassan Aly but Dynamo goalkeeper Jules Monnaie was equal to the task.
After enjoying plenty of possession, St Michel got a breakthrough when Leeroy Corallie surged in Dynamo’s penalty area in the 24th minute. Corallie then flashed a centre across goal which was cleared as far as Ernesto Doway who is on loan with St Michel. The former LightStars’ winger controlled the ball on the edge of the penalty area to curl a beauty in the top corner to make it 1-0.
The goal forced Dynamo out of their shell and on the half hour mark Malagasy Valerie saw his strongly struck free kick come off St Michel’s wall after their Ugandan defender, making a rare appearance, was penalised for a foul on Marcus Maria.
In the 33rd minute, Dynamo drew level after another mistake by St Michel’s defence and this time it was youth player Romial Oreddy who slipped at a vital moment when he attempted to clear Malagasy Valery’s long ball to Wesley Esther. Esther made the most of Oreddy’s tumble to glide past Julio Denousse and fire the ball low past reserve goalkeeper Elvis Leopold for a 1-1 score.
Sadly for Esther, he was stretchered off the pitch on the stroke of half-time as he was the victim of a strong challenge by Oreddy who was booked by referee Alistair Barra for his foul.
St Michel though had a decent chance to restore their lead in the 37th minute from another Aly free kick which goalkeeper Monnaie could only parry into corner.
St Michel brought on Leeroy Mathiot and Nigel Hoareau in the second half for Corallie and Darwin Rosette while Joshua Adeline came on for Dynamo in place of Esther.
Dynamo’s Marcus Maria tested goalkeeper Leopold with a long range effort only two minutes into this period which he pushed away to safety.
However, St Michel should have regained their advantage in the 56th minute from Malagasy Jocelyn Fenosoa whipping free kick which goalkeeper Monnaie spilled to Mathiot but with the goal gaping, he amazingly headed over for a bad miss only inches out.
St Michel then suffered a setback in the 68th minute as Oreddy hacked down Aldo Dufresne to earn his second yellow card and thus his marching orders.
Dynamo also were handed a similar fate two minutes later after a rugged tackle by Malagasy Valerie on Doway. Referee Alistair Barra quite rightly went straight to his pocket to dish out a red card to reduce both teams to 10 men.
St Michel went ahead again in the 72nd minute from a glorious cross-field pass by Mathiot to Doway who from 25 metres out, rifled a fantastic dipping shot which sailed over goalkeeper Monnaie to crash into the net for a 2-1 lead.
Six minutes later, St Michel thought they should have been awarded a penalty when Damien Tamboo brought down Doway but referee Barra was not convinced.
In the 80th minute, Dynamo had a brilliant chance to level matters on a swift counter. Dufresne squared the ball to Malagasy substitute Asman Todisoa who was in the clear but he delayed his shot and captain Nibourette dispossessed him in the nick of time as Todisoa half-heartedly appealed for a penalty.
In the 86th minute, Tamboo’s long pass dropped to Maria who had sneaked in behind Olupot but the Dynamo striker shot wide with the goal at his mercy.
Maria though made amends on the stroke of full time from a long throw-in by Tamboo which Olupot cleared to Maria on the penalty area and he unleashed a cracking shot which grazed the post before hitting the net to make it 2-2 the final score.
St Michel manager Andrew Jean-Louis told Sports Nation he was not too disappointed with the result as their objective was to give their reserve players some much-needed playing time.
“The principal objective was to give playing opportunities to this group of players though we still felt we could win with this squad. We had plenty of possession but lacked sharpness in front of goal. However, we still want to defend our title and we hope to do better in our next match,” manager Jean-Louis said.
As for Dynamo’s coach Cliff Nolin, he felt his team’s tactics was spot on for this match.
“Our tactics were appropriate for this match as we aimed to deny them space and limit them from creating goal-scoring chances. We conceded some silly goals though so I am not too pleased but at least we showed signs of improvement in our performance,” coach Nolin said.
R. J-L.