Football: Division One League-Ten-man Northern Dynamo edge Sunshine |03 June 2006

The game was only one minute old when they were awarded a penalty and Colin Marie stepped up to fire past Sunshine’s goalkeeper Vincent Euphrasie.

Three minutes later, referee Jean-Claude Labrosse blew his whistle for the second penalty of the match after a handball incident inside Northern Dynamo’s penalty area. It was the turn of Denis Barbé to take the spot kick which he drilled past goalie Jules Monnaie and into the net to level the score.

The two teams then settled down as they tried to outwit each other. Jules Monnaie (23rd minute), Ronny Marengo (40th minute) went close for Northern Dynamo, while Barbé (31st minute), George Ravinia (35th and 57th minutes) and Robert Suzette (63rd minute) failed to hit the target for Sunshine.

Northern Dynamo went ahead in the 66th minute. Sunshine’s defender Ted Esther and Northern Dynamo’s striker Jules Désir fought for a long ball. Goalkeeper Euphrasie made the cardinal mistake of leaving his goal-line and did not reach the ball. Désir got a second bite of the cherry to shoot into an empty net.

In the 71st minute, Northern Dynamo’s Andrew Maria had to be stretchered off and transported to hospital after a tussle with Sunshine’s Robin Henriette. Sports Nation has learned that Maria has suffered a broken foot.

Coach Cliff Nolin saw his team reduced to 10 men in the 88th minute when Sanjez Albert received his second bookable offence but they held on for their third win in seven games.

Northern Dynamo have nine points and are occupying sixth position, while Sunshine are a place before last with six points.

St Michel lead the table with 17 points, three more than defending champions La Passe. Red Star are third with 11 points to lead fourth-placed Anse Réunion by one point.

St Louis (9 points), Light Stars (8 points), SMB (8 points) and The Lions (4 points) are fifth, seventh, eighth and 10th respectively in the standings.

R. J-L.