Football: Airtel Cup-Kinje penalty saves La Passe from defeat, St Michel and Red Star win |20 March 2006
On Praslin on the same day, St Michel breezed past Light Stars on a 3-0 score and on La Digue, Red Star edged Anse Réunion 1-0.
Against La Passe, Northern Dynamo had 10 regular players missing due to injuries and work commitment but they almost stole all the points.
La Passe though started brightly and in the 15th minute Kinje threatened but goalie Egbert Havelock was quick off his line to thwart the danger.
A minute later, Ugandan Jimmy Kidega burst through but goalie Havelock again performed bravely to dive at the lanky midfielder’s feet.
Northern Dynamo stunned La Passe midway in this half as Malagasy Assman Todisoa’s quick cross was slotted home by Jules Désir to give his team the lead.
In the 24th minute, La Passe broke forward but it required a last-ditch tackle by Elvis Songoire to deny Kidega.
Just past the half hour mark, Northern Dynamo thought they had scored a second goal as Désir lobbed goalie Vincent Euphrasie with a flick but Todisoa headed the goal-bound ball and was flagged offside.
La Passe picked up the pace in the second half and in the 51st minute Jude Ladouce should have done better after Malagasy Eric Rajaobery had headed the ball into his path from Kinje’s cross.
In the 58th minute, substitute Jean-Paul Marguerite failed to score with his first touch with goalie Havelock twice blocking his shots.
La Passe kept up the pressure and in the 67th minute Henry Ladouce brought a good save out of goalie Havelock with a sweetly struck volley.
Defending Sunkiss’d division one League champions La Passe finally got a break through in the 73rd minute as Rajaobery lured Jake Constant into a foul in the penalty area and referee Eddie Maillet awarded a spot kick. Kinje rammed the ball past ‘keeper Havelock to level the score.
La Passe went close in the 84th minute as Kidega played a neat one-two with Kinje but when in the clear instead of shooting, he squared the ball to Marguerite who was offside.
Northern Dynamo’s coach Cliff Nolin was happy that his team’s tactic limited La Passe space.
As for La Passe’s coach Marius Fanchette, he was not satisfied with the result as he thought his team created enough opportunities to win the match.
St Michel 3 ... Light Stars 0
On Praslin against Light Stars, St Michel’s Nelson Laurence continued on his purple patch, opening the scoring in the first half.
Congolese defender Magnifique Ndikumana aggravated Light Stars’ plight with an own goal early in the second half.
Scorer of a hat-trick against Sunshine the weekend before, striker Laurence completed his brace to make it 3-0.
Red Star 1 ... Anse Réunion 0
Red Star travelled to La Digue on Saturday and stole all three points against Anse Réunion with a late strike by Malagasy Taly.
Taly’s winner came after Yelvany Rose’s penalty had been saved by Red Star’s goalkeeper Joel Lesperance.
R. J-L.