Tri-nation series: St Kitts frustrate Mauritius with late equaliser

MUMBAI: For the second game in succession, Mauritius would have been left nursing a tinge of bitterness as they were held to a 1-1 draw by a gritty St Kitts & Nevis side at the

Mumbai Football Arena

on Tuesday.

Having taken a deserved lead against India in Saturday's opening match of an adhoc tri-nation series, the African team were left empty-handed as the hosts snatched a 2-1 victory.

On Tuesday, Joaquim Filho's side were once again rewarded for their first-half superiority as full back Pascal Balisson's 18th minute cross from the left flank left midfielder

Jean Sarah

with all the time in the world to direct a powerful header that rippled the back of the net.

They were close to extending their lead only a minute after St Kitts had squandered a decent opportunity to draw level themselves in a lively start to the second half.

Jean Jocelyn

, the man whose deflected strike had given Mauritius the lead against India, expertly controlled an aerial pass and unleashed a left-footer that looked to be curling goalwards before Jeffers Jamal, the St Kitts goalkeeper, acrobatically altered its course.

But just when Mauritius looked poised to survive some more missed opportunities, the best of which fell to substitute

Louis Chiffone

who, with just the keeper to beat, went for the spectacular when a simple attempt would have sufficed, the Caribbean side got the equaliser their improved second half showing duly deserved.

Presented with a near-identical opportunity to one he had missed moments earlier, striker

Rogers Kimaree

made no mistake on this occasion. Played through by birthday-boy Hanley Tishan in the 87th minute, Kimaree managed to slide the ball through the legs of the onrushing

James Caserne

and earn his side a point.

As the St Kitts coach

Jacques Passy

underlined later, it's a point that effectively turns their match against India on Thursday into a virtual final.

Asked if his side would be at a physical disadvantage against

Stephen Constantine

's well-rested men, Passy smiled and said: "I have an NE philosophy. It's called a No Excuse philosophy. We win, we are the champions. We don't win, India are the champions. If we are not the champions, I will never mention the 48 hours (recovery time for St Kitts)."

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