Football: Barclays League division one-St Louis Suns maintain lead, St Michel crush Red Star |03 September 2007
In the fifth minute, Steven Constance beat Foresters’ offside trap to collect Michael Ernest’s through-ball. But instead of going for glory, he squared the ball and therefore squandered a good chance.
In the 19th minute, captain Denis Barbé filtered a pass to the lively Alpha Baldé whose 
Two minutes later, St Louis Suns opened the scoring as Malagasy Ralida picked up a loose ball to release Baldé who ran from a long way and scored a brilliant goal at the far post as everyone expected him to centre the ball.
In the 33rd minute, goalie Bibi came to Foresters’ rescue as Trevor Poiret swung a corner which was met by Congolese Jonathan Mbanze’s bullet header. Goalie Bibi was there to deny the league’s top marksman.
A minute later, Mbanze was again denied as he was set free by Baldé but his lob was smothered by goalie Bibi.
Foresters weathered the storm and the 36th minute they were awarded a generous penalty by referee Gonzague Boniface.
It all started from Leeroy Gomme’s cross and St Louis Suns’ defender Jonathan Bibi slipped. The ball rolled to 16-year-old substitute Aaron Jean whose powerful shot was adjudged to have been handled by Bibi on the floor. Denis Zialor took the spot-kick to send goalie Marcus Havelock the wrong way to level the score at 1-1.
The goal lifted Foresters as St Louis Suns United looked to have been rattled.
On the stroke of half-time, Jason Fred bore forward to centre to Jean who shot narrowly wide.
Foresters looked the better side in the second half and in the 52nd minute they should have taken the lead. Zialor sent Norvil Gaspard chasing a long ball and St Louis Suns’ goalie Havelock came racing out but was beaten to the ball. But somehow Gaspard missed a gaping goal.
Three minutes later, Foresters again threatened as Jean held off Ralida’s challenge to fire at goalie Havelock but his shot was deflected.
In the 65th minute, St Louis Suns went ahead again as Jones Joubert combined with captain Barbé who crossed in the box and there was Mbanze to drive the ball into the net to make it 2-1.
In the 86th minute, St Louis Suns almost added a third goal as Constance played a short corner to Barbé who lofted the ball into the box to substitute Archille Henriette whose downward header looked destined for the back of the net but goalie Bibi produced a great save to keep his team in the match.
A minute from time, Barbé linked up with Mbanze who penetrated into the box to round goalie Bibi, but the ball rolled to Poiret who fired wide.
St Louis Suns’ coach Marc Mathiot was very disappointed with his team’s performance despite getting the win.
St Michel crush Red Star
St Michel humiliated Red Star 5-0 on Saturday in front of a decent crowd at Stad Linite.
The score-line though was rather flattering for St Michel as Red Star had matched them in the first period.
In the opening seconds, Red Star went on the offensive and burly Steve Mathiot bore on goal and was tackled by Dereck Agathine. The ball rolled to Elvis Julius whose shot lacked the sting to trouble goalie Nelson Sopha.
St Michel responded through Don Anacoura in the fourth minute as he latched on to Philip Zialor’s long pass but he failed to test Red Star’s goalie Andrew Valentin.
In the 17th minute Zialor appeared to con referee Jean-Claude Labrosse as he dived on the edge of the penalty area after being challenged by Red Star’s captain Nigel Freminot.
St Michel’s skipper Godfrey Denis curled the free-kick over the wall but goalie Valentin was equal to the test.
In the 27th minute, Gervais Waye-Hive released Bernard St Ange who set up Malagasy Taly who fired at goal but his shot was deflected into corner. Jemmy Edmond took the resulting corner which fell nicely to Julius whose volley was saved by goalie Sopha.
In the 31st minute, St Michel went on the offensive as Anacoura filtered a pass to Clovis whose instinctive cross was met by Nelson Laurence’s glancing header which sailed agonisingly wide.
In the 36th minute, Anacoura lofted a free-kick to Zialor at the far post and his powerful header was parried by an alert goalie Valentin.
Two minutes later, Valentin produced a world class save from Zialor’s 35-metre free-kick which was heading for the top corner but for a finger-tip stop by the Red Star custodian.
Zialor though was not to be denied as he wrong-footed Valentin with another trademark free-kick which rolled under the goalie’s body.
St Michel opened the second half with a second goal by Nelson Laurence who beat goalie Valentin in the opening minute to make it 2-0.
The goal took the stuffing out of Red Star and in the 47th minute on a counter-attack Anacoura freed Laurence who had a clear run at goal but he shot straight at goalie Valentin.
In the 52nd minute, Waye-Hive lofted a free-kick to Mathiot whose header was pushed out by goalie Sopha and Taly scored from the rebound but he was signaled for offside.
Seven minutes later, St Michel scored a controversial goal as Zialor picked out Anacoura’s run with a brilliant pass but the latter controlled the ball with hand before slipping it under goalie Valentin to make it 3-0.
Red Star players were quite rightly furious with the officials who failed to spot the mistake which should have earned Anacoura a booking.
Red Star kept trying to score a consolation goal and in the 63rd minute, Mickey Songoire lofted a free-kick to the unmarked Taly but goalie Sopha saved his header.
A minute later, Taly shot wide a well-worked opportunity by Waye-Hive, Freminot and Mathiot.
In the 72nd minute, Red Star should have been awarded a penalty as Dereck Agathine handled Taly’s cross-field pass to Waye-Hive but the official missed this infringement.
A minute later, St Michel extended their lead as Nibourette went past Jemmy Edmond on the bye-line to cross to Zialor who headed home at the near post for a 4-0 lead.
In the 82nd minute, St Michel completed the rout as Nibourette picked out Joel Barbé whose fierce shot was blocked and he picked up the loose ball to square to 16-year-old substitute Trevor Vidot who buried it into the roof of the net for a 5-0 score-line.
St Michel’s coach Ralph Jean-Louis was pleased with the result which keeps his team close to the leading pack.
As for Red Star’s coach Mosa, he was very disappointed with his team’s overall performance as they had held their own for much of the first half before completely disintegrating in the second period.
Omondi double sees off Light Stars
New Kenyan striker James Omondi scored twice to give Anse Réunion a 2-1 victory over Light Stars on Praslin on Saturday.
Omondi opened the scoring in the first half only for Renick Esther to equalize for Light Stars.
Omondi got his second goal in the second half to give his team all three points.
R. J-L.