Football: Triangular tournament-St Michel make bright start |23 January 2007

Anse Réunion, who triumphed 1-0 over the national selection in their first match last Friday, saw their preparation disrupted as coach Vojo Gardasevic sent four players back to La Digue for not respecting the camp discipline where the team were staying at Maison Football.

St Michel settled down very well and drew first blood in the seventh minute as Neddy Rose’ through-ball was picked up by Malagasy Leonni Nastinan whose inch-perfect cross should have resulted in a goal, but Jeffrey Brutus miscued his header.

Anse Réunion conjured up an opportunity in the 21st minute as Alex Nibourette hesitated to clear the ball and Bernard Rose set up Malagasy Firinga Fahidanny whose shot was well stopped by goalie Nelson Sopha.

On the half hour mark, Lorenzo Mathiot linked up with the impressive Nastinan who eluded Anse Réunion’s Malagasy defender Simplice and brought a decent save out of goalie Ricky Rose.

Two minutes later, Anse Réunion went close with a well-worked free-kick by Roderick Rose to Jude Bibi on the edge of the penalty area and his fierce drive took a wicked deflection, wrong-footing goalie Sopha but the danger was cleared by a defender.

In the 38th minute, Philip Zialor, who had been quiet in the first half, almost broke the deadlock with a diving header from Neddy Rose’s lofted pass.

A minute later, as St Michel upped the pressure, Alex Nibourette’s 35-metre free-kick grazed the cross-bar before Don Anacoura shot across the face of goal.

St Michel took the initiative in the 49th minute as Henny Dufresne exchanged passes with Zialor who rode a couple of tackles and was bundled over by Bernard Rose in the penalty area.

Referee Jean-Claude Labrosse pointed to the penalty spot much to the disgust of the Anse Réunion players. St Michel’s captain Godfrey Denis stepped up to send goalie Rose the wrong way for a 1-0 lead.

In the 54th minute, St Michel should have increased their advantage from Zialor’s free-kick which goalie Rose spilled, but Anacoura could not punish the Anse Réunion custodian.

Two minutes later, Nibourette galloped down the left flank to send in a superb cross but Nastinan could not direct his header on target.

Anse Réunion had two glorious chances to draw level. In the 65th minute, substitute Hubert Ernesta hustled past captain Denis but shot weakly at goalie Sopha. Fahidanny had a much better opportunity in the 73rd minute as he left Rose in his wake but, one-on-one against Sopha, he shot straight at the St Michel goaltender.

St Michel’s only other chance fell to Nastinan who latched onto Zilaor’s quickly taken free-kick but goalie Rose denied him.

St Michel’s manager Brian Uranie said he was quite satisfied with the result, adding that the match would surely help build the team’s fitness.

R. J-L.