On 5 October 2024, St. Louis faced Anse Reunion at Stad Linite in a highly anticipated derby. The match ended with an exciting scoreline of 3-4 in favour of Anse Reunion, who demonstrated their strength against the defending champions.
This match was undoubtedly the derby of Round 4. The defending champions were up against a team that had invested heavily during the transfer period, raising expectations about how they would perform away from home, where the pressure can be immense. Prior to the game, there were concerns regarding the fitness of Anse Reunion striker Iavo, which added an extra layer of intrigue to the encounter.
The scoring began in the 27th minute, when Iavo converted a penalty after St. Louis captain Gervais Waye-Hive was adjudged to have committed a foul in the box. This gave Anse Reunion an early lead at 0-1. In the 41st minute, Clarck equalised for St. Louis, also from the penalty spot, making it 1-1. Just five minutes later, in the dying seconds of the first half, Ryan Henriette found space and placed the ball into the net, giving Anse Reunion a 1-2 advantage at half-time.
The second half began with a well-executed attacking move from Anse Reunion, culminating in a fine goal from Veve in the 48th minute, extending the lead to 1-3. In response, St. Louis coach Gavin Jeanne brought on Lorenzo Hoareau just four minutes later, replacing the injured Waye-Hive.
The match took a decisive turn in the 58th minute when Ryan Henriette scored again, extending Anse Reunion’s lead to 1-4. Henriette was a constant threat throughout the match, showcasing his speed and skill. His movements frustrated the St. Louis defence, leading to increasingly aggressive challenges against him. At one point, he was slapped by a defender while the referee was out of position, and notably, no card was shown. As the match progressed, the tension escalated, resulting in five yellow cards in the final 30 minutes.
Toky pulled a goal back for St. Louis in the 67th minute, making it 2-4, and Lorenzo Hoareau added another in the 81st minute to bring the score to 3-4. This late surge from St. Louis intensified the drama, and it seemed they could mount a comeback if the match continued longer. However, the officials failed to communicate additional minutes due to technical issues, leaving fans guessing how much time was left.
Overall, it was an entertaining match, one of the best local games witnessed in recent years. While Anse Reunion might have been eager to score a fifth goal, they risked conceding further as St. Louis pressed for an equaliser. Ryan Henriette‘s performance earned him a nomination for the Intelvision Player of the Round 4, highlighting his contributions to this thrilling derby.
St. Louis Starting XI:
1 Lalain’arinjaka Michel Ramandimbisoa
11 Gervais Trevor Rembert Waye-Hive
4 Justin Clievy Stephen Riaze
6 Johan Peter Bernice Gamatice
9 Toky Nantenaina Mickael
10 Darian Hoareau
13 Charles Rakoto
17 Imra Raheriniaina
18 Tahiry Andriamandimby
19 Ahmed Maurice
30 Nick France Labiche
St. Louis Substitutes:
2 Danny Jean Madeleine
3 Darrel Lesperance
8 Lorenzo Adrien Hoareau
15 Dayne Jean-Baptiste
23 Darren Colin Anaou
25 Mike Marcus Lesperance
26 Harim Radegonde
Anse Reunion Starting XI:
1 Ian Bertrand Leeroy Ah-Kong
7 Warren Bibi
4 Jean-Claude Marobe
5 Don Fanchette
9 Ryan Henriette
11 Iavotriniaina Razafidratsimba
13 Aristide Veve Ranaivo Harison
17 Adrian Darren Luke Constance
18 Veron Rose
21 Ranaivo Albert Zo Tahiana
30 Stenio Ernesta
Anse Reunion Substitutes:
2 Hemshi Tuhobul
6 Jules Constance
8 Shakil Dane Neil Constance
12 Jean-Yves Choisy
14 Harley Figaro
19 Elton Achille Stephen Ernesta
22 Shanille Servina
24 Geoff Tobia Antoine Waye-Hive
35 Ricky Rose
