Football: Land Marine Cup-La Passe dump St Francis |29 September 2011

La Passe were the better side in the first half as they controlled possession with Malagasy player/coach Bruno Saindini marshalling the defence.

They finally got a breakthrough in the 29th minute from Achille Henriette’s cross which Roderick Rose flicked to Collin Bibi. The young La Passe forward made no mistake from close range as he slid the ball past goalkeeper Andrea Libanotis for a 1-0 lead.

In the 38th minute, La Passe countered swiftly through Henriette who set up Bibi but his curling shot was saved by Libanotis.

Three minutes after, St Francis’ rearguard, which had been reshuffled after conceding four goals last Friday against St Roch in the league, gave Yelvanny Rose too much space to rifle a fierce shot which Libanotis spilled to Bibi who took too long to adjust his shot.

Bibi was gifted another chance but he flashed his shot on the run across goal.

On the stroke of half-time, Henriette threaded a pass to Yelvanny Rose but his near post shot was turned into corner by Libanotis as La Passe threatened to rip them apart.

St Francis though came out for the second half with the urge to have a go at La Passe and nearly levelled the score in the first minute as Stephane Barallon sent in a tempting cross which Trevor Vidot connected to but it rolled wide. But still La Passe’s reserve goalkeeper Dave Mussard injured himself as he tried to block the shot and had to be carried to the hospital and was replaced by Vincent Euphrasie.

In the 57th minute, St Francis’ Yves Zialor chased a long ball and his cross-cum-shot was missed by Euphrasie as it sailed agonisingly wide.

Five minutes later, St Francis were just unlucky not to equalise from Stephane Esparon’s floated corner which was met by Yannick Manou’s towering header and  Euphrasie just managed to tip the ball over the crossbar.

La Passe, who had been on the defensive, added a second goal from a superb cross-field pass from Malagasy Tholix Jean to colleague Valery Rakotoarinosy, who fired a cracking volley minutes after coming on for a brilliant goal with the ball crashing into the roof of the net to make it 2-0.

La Passe should have increased their lead in the 70th minute when St Francis’ Esparon’s short corner was missed by defender Harry Libanotis. La Passe pounced on the loose ball for a lighting counter. Jean-Paul Marguerite played the ball to Tholix Jean who released Henriette who cut through the St Francis defence to round Libanotis but the ball rolled away from him as he fluffed a great chance.

St Francis should have reduced the arrears in the 75th minute as Trevor Vidot led a counter-attack and put in a superb cross which Euphrasie allowed to slip under his body. Amazingly, Zialor shot wide with the goal at his mercy.

In the 80th minute at the other end, La Passe’s young substitute Stan Fanchette raced on to Nicolas Atala’s poor back header but the busy Libanotis produced a good block to deny the young striker.

Euphrasie also made an instinctive save in the 84th minute to stop an embarrassing own goal by Pierre Fanchette who headed powerfully Barallon’s teasing cross from a quickly played free-kick by substitute Alpha Baldé.

Libanotis though made an even better save in the 86th minute as Roderick Rose thumped Valery’s cross goalwards but he charged it down. Yelvanny Rose snapped up the rebound to drill at goal but again Libanotis stood tall to keep the final score at 2-0 as La Passe progressed to the quarterfinal where they will meet second division side Quincy.

R. J-L.