MTN Elite One Playoffs: Limane Denies Gazelle Bragging rights, sets Cotonsport Underway to title defense

Cotonsport of Garoua have started their title defense with a 1-0 win against city-rivals Gazelle FA of Garoua in this year’s play-offs kickstart.

The Cottonites were made to work and only got off the hook when second half substitute Moussa Limane scored a scrappy, but an important goal in the playoffs context, to group all 3 points for Cotonsport.

The men of coach Jean Baptiste Bisseck began the first half in the front foot but found it difficult to get past a discipline backline marshalled by Djondang and Pade.

14 minutes in, Cotonsport’s Reich Kokolo struck the side netting after the ball was cushioned towards him by Basseni.

With a minute left to the half hour mark, the two sides had a sniff at goal in the same passage of play.

Duamel Boris’ attempted through ball looked perfect for Calice D’or until the assistant had his flag raised for offside.

Cotonsport quickly transited from defense to attack. Reich Kokolo was set free by Jean Eric Mourso but the Congolese skied the ball, with his usually trusted left foot.

Three minutes after the half hour mark, Cotonsport missed another sitter.

In a quick counter attacking play, Bassene rolled the ball through to Kokolo who instinctively turned and set Wassou on his way.

Marcelin Mbahbi was off his line and truely beating, but the recovery tackle from Joel Djondang took the ball a whisker away.

Cotonsport continued the onslaught after four minutes of added on time in the first half, but even Komo’s header from a Bassene cross didn’t worry Mbahbi.

Gazelle grew into the game and wrecked havoc as the game went on. There were penalty shouts upon restart (47th minute) by Gazelle, waved aside by Alioum Sidi.

The goal mouth actions kept coming in and it took great reflexes from Allambatnam to keep out Sabi Abdoullahi at the 57th minute.

5 minutes after, Marcelin Mbahbi took a rash decision to come for the ball off his line, which was met first by Arthur Banen, but the latter’s shot was cleared off the line by Il Telli Pade.

Having played only 6 minutes in he game, second half Substitute Limane Moussa clattered the ball in after a cross from Mekongo rained chaos in the Gazelle defense at the 82nd minute.

The youngster was on queue at the back post and slot home for the opener.

Coach Alioum Kada and his charges tried to work the angle but it wasn’t meant to be as Cotonsport grabbed all three points.