Football: President’s Cup-St Louis Suns win first title in penalty shoot-out |02 March 2009

The match was watched by President James Michel who is also the football patron, Designated Minister Danny Faure, senior government officials, Seychelles Football Federation (SFF) chairman Suketu Patel. They witnessed another great match between the two teams.

It was a pulsating encounter that kept the spectators on the edge of their seats. Victory could have gone either in a superb match which should set the tone for the season.

However, St Michel will point to one incident late in the second period of extra-time when referee Eddie Maillet blew for a non-existent offside against Don Anacoura though his assistant Hensley Petrousse kept his flag down as the player was about to race clear on goal.

St Louis Suns dominated proceeding in the first period. They drew first blood in the third minute as Jude Nancy picked out Malagasy Jean Del’Or Carolus Tsaralaza with a cross-field pass with the St Michel defence flat-footed. But Jean Del’Or shot weakly at goalie Nelson Sopha.

A minute later, St Louis Suns again went close after a good move which resulted in Yannick Charlette firing at goalie Sopha who parried but Wilnes Brutus, making his St Louis Suns debut, could not tuck home the rebound.

St Michel almost punished a stray pass from St Louis Suns as the ball was quickly played to Alex Nibourette whose inch-perfect cross fell to Nelson Laurence but somehow his glancing header from five metres out flew wide.

In the 16th minute, Brutus ran at the St Michel defence to release Jean Del’Or whose fierce shot from a tight angle was tipped over by goalie Sopha as St Louis Suns looked to break the deadlock.

Ten minutes later, St Michel rode their luck as St Louis Suns played a short corner involving Trevor Poiret and Charlette and the latter rolled the ball to new Malagasy recruit Rijaniaina Hasinaina whose thumping shot was spilled by Sopha to the lurking Brutus who looked odds on to score but his close range effort was deflected into corner by a combination of goalie Sopha and captain Godfrey Denis.

St Louis Suns duly got their reward in the 35th minute as Ted Radegonde threaded a pass to his former Red Star colleague Brutus who out-sprinted two defenders to coolly place the ball far beyond Sopha’s reach for a 1-0 lead which sent St Louis Suns supporters into ecstasy.
 
Strangely the players on the pitch relaxed allowing St Michel to run at them as they conceded silly free-kicks. It was from one of those free-kicks on the stroke of half-time that St Michel drew level.

Malagasy Nestor Benahovy played a long hopeful ball into the box to Philip Zialor who got a touch to play it across the penalty area. Goalie Eugene Valentin failed to punch clear and he was made to pay as the ball broke to Laurence who rammed it into the net for a 1-1 half-time score which gave his supporters hope for the second period.

St Michel replaced Henny Dufresne at the start of the second half through injury and Don Anacoura came on to bolster their attack as their play improved drastically.

In the 52nd minute, Nibourette delivered a teasing free kick which caused confusion between St Louis Suns captain Malagasy Jimmy Radafison and Valentin allowing Zialor to shoot at goal. Defender Jonathan Bibi cleared the danger.

St Louis Suns responded in the 65th minute through Poiret’s curling shot which was pushed out by Sopha.

Four minutes later, St Louis Suns’ substitutes Andy Mougal and Alpha Baldé exchanged passes with Brutus to open up the St Michel defence before Mougal rifled a low shot past Sopha to make it 2-1.

St Michel though showed their fighting spirit as Zialor filtered a brilliant through ball to Malagasy Pascal who left Radegonde in his wake to beat the advancing Valentin to equalise at 2-2.

In the 88th minute, Zialor and Pascal combined again to open up the St Louis Suns defence but were cut short in their move with a suspicious offside flag.

St Louis Suns got the ball in the net in the 89th minute as Jean Del’Or eluded two defenders to chip the ball to Mougal who bundled it into the net but the goal was rightly ruled out for offside by assistant Walter  Underwood.

Late in injury time, St Louis Suns could have sealed victory as Jean Del’Or linked up with Brutus to set up Baldé who blazed his shot over the bar in a good scoring position.

The game went into extra-time and in the first period Baldé tested Sopha with a free-kick which he parried in the 99th minute.

In the 102nd minute, St Michel almost scored as Zialor released Anacoura whose shot was spilled by Valentin and Pascal pushed the ball into the net but he was ruled offside.

In the second period of extra time, St Michel should have gone ahead as Zialor released Pascal who squared the ball to Anacoura who looked offside as the St Louis Suns defence waited for the flag. But Anacoura shot in the side-netting.

In the 109th minute, Pascal latched onto Zialor’s pass to beat the St Louis Suns offside trap but his shot brought a good save out of Valentin.

Controversy loomed large in the 115th minute as Zialor threaded a pass to Anacoura who beat the St Louis Suns offside trap. However, to everyone’s disbelief, referee Maillet half blew his whistle for a non-existent offside, probably anticipating assistant Petrousse would have raised his flag. St Michel were furious with referee Maillet and Zialor was even booked for dissent as it proved to be a costly decision for St Michel as the game went to a penalty shoot-out.

St Michel captain Denis saw his spot-kick saved by goalie Valentin and Baldé gave St Louis Suns the lead as he sent Sopha the wrong way.

Valentin again did brilliantly to save Pascal’s fierce shot before Bibi increased St Louis Suns’ advantage. Anacoura gave his team a lifeline as he shot past Valentin, while Jean Del’Or blazed his spot kick over the crossbar.

However, St Michel substitute Bernard St Ange grazed the crossbar leaving Poiret to shoot past Sopha to send the St Louis Suns camp into wild celebrations for their first title since St Louis and Sunshine merged in 2007.

St Louis Suns’ Malagasy coach Henri Rakotomavo told Sports Nation that he was happy with his team’s performance though they tired out late in the game.

“My team deserved to win and St Michel played well too,” said Rakotomavo, who also congratulated the supporters.

As for St Michel’s manager Brian Uranie, he said both teams had chances in the match but felt St Louis Suns were more determined and congratulated them for their victory.

Cups and medals were presented to the two teams by President James Michel and SFF chairman Suketu Patel.

R. J-L.