Football: Sunkiss’d division one-Frontrunners checked |06 September 2004
Their failure to grind victories have sent the championship race wide open with at least four teams now in the running.
After La Passe were blanked (0-0) by SMB last Friday, Red Star squandered a one-goal lead to lose 1-3 to St Louis. On La Digue, St Michel tied Anse Réunion 2-2 and have a very remote chance of defending their title.
“I’m happy with how my players responded after having conceded the goal. They deserve their win. The championship race is wide open now. Any team can challenge for the title,” St Louis’ coach Marc Mathiot said after his team’s victory.
Two quick goals in a one-minute spell put St Louis back in the contest against Red Star and a third ……six minutes from time gave them a deserved 3-1 victory over the league leaders on Saturday.
After a goalless first half, Red Star, who were hoping to distance themselves from the rest of the field with a win over St Louis, shot into the lead in the 53rd minute. Striker Wilnes Brutus, guilty of a clear miss in the 25th minute and a thorn in the St Louis defence with his darting runs at goal, added the finishing touch to Elvis Julius’short pass from Nigel Freminot’s free-kick The striker’s low shot beat Dominic Chang-Waye in the St Louis goal.
St Louis were disorganised after having conceded the goal, but coach Mathiot made a tactical switch by sending winger Mervyn Mathiot and striker Roy Julie in for defender Albert Ladouceur and defensive midfielder Eddie Bistoé with 22 minutes remaining.
With a more attacking side on the field, coach Mathiot decided to push Philip Zialor into the playmaking role and his gamble paid off as St Louis scored three goals from dead ball situations.
They equalised through Malagasy captain and sweeper Welson ‘Ralid’ Razafindrafida in the 70th minute. Red Star’s defence failed to clear Alpha Baldé’s free-kick from the right wing and Ralid volleyed home left-footed as keeper Joel Lesperance grasped thin air.
Barely a minute later, St Louis were 2-1 up. Red Star’s defender Johnny Moustache lost possession to Zialor who immediately played a defence-splitting pass to Roddy César. The former Red Star midfielder burst into the penalty area but was muscled down by goalie Lesperance. Referee Jourdan Benstrong booked the Red Star custodian and awarded St Louis a penalty. Used to inflicting this kind of sentence on opposing goalkeepers, Baldé wrongfooted goalie Lesperance with a low shot into the left corner of the net.
St Louis completed their comeback and put the issue beyond doubt in the 84th minute through substitute Mervyn Mathiot. Zilaor again orchestrated the goal with a quick free-kick into the path of Mathiot who gave keeper Lesperance no chance with a ground-level shot.
Defeat for leaders Red Star means that they have only three points more than La Passe who have a game in hand, while St Louis have moved into third place with 23 points.
Red Star’s Malagasy coach Mosa has said that the “defence is to be blamed for the defeat. Also we thought that we were going to have an easy match when St Louis played very well.”
La Passe blanked
La Passe were also unhappy with the outcome of last Friday’s match against SMB who are fighting to avoid relegation.
Ironically, SMB’s defence was marshalled by Diguois David Dorby, who started his career with La Passe in the inner islands league way back in the late 1980s. The 30-year-old former Red Star defender, who damaged both the tibia and fibula in his right leg during a match against Foresters in 1998, has said that his injury limits his movements at times but when he is on the field, he gives a 100%.
SMB’s coach Roger Labonté said that “my in-experienced team fought well for the point but need to continue working harder for the remaining matches.”
As for assistant coach Marius Fanchette, he concluded that “La Passe played their worst match this year and the result is not in the team’s favour.”
On La Digue on Saturday, Roderick Rose scored twice but his team Anse Réunion could garner only one point as St Michel equalised with 10 minutes left to play.
Nelson Laurence gave St Michel the lead which they kept until half-time. Rose equalised for Anse Réunion and then gave them the lead, only for St Michel’s defender Godfrey ‘Doudou’ Denis to stoop home a header from Marcel Labiche’s free-kick.
With the draw, their sixth in 12 matches, Anse Réunion have lost third place to St Louis and are now in fourth position on 21 points, while defending champions St Michel hold sixth position with 13 points after having played 12 games.
G. G.