June 21, 2024
Today saw the second of the three matches in the final round of the 2023/24 Comoros Premier League.
Comoros Islands
The Comoros Islands are an archipelago of volcanic islands located off the south-eastern coast of Africa to the east of Mozambique and north-west of Madagascar. Politically, three of the islands ( Grand Comore, Anjouan and Moheli ) form the Union of Comoros, a sovereign countries which achieved independence from France in 1975, whilst Mayotte is an Overseas department of France, having voted against independence in the 1974 referendum.
Comoros National Team
The Comoros national side are currently ranked 119th by FIFA, down from their highest ranking of 117th in April 2024.
They qualified for their first ever Africa Cup of Nations in 2021, when after defeats to Gabon ( 0-1 ) and Morocco ( 0-2 ) they caused a huge surprise by beating Ghana 3-2 to qualify for the last 16. They created more global headlines in their game against Cameroon when Covid protocols ruled out all three of their goalkeepers, so left-back Chaker Alhadhur had to go in goal, with his number taped over on the back of a goal-keeping shirt. Unsurprisingly, Comoros were eliminated but only after a brave 1-2 defeat.
The Comoros are currently enjoying a successful qualifying campaign for the 2026 World Cup, currently being top of their 6 team group. Another surprise win was recorded over Ghana ( 1-0 ) at home, with wins also being registered over Eswatini ( 4-2 at home ) and in Chad ( 2-0 ). The one reverse was a 1-2 loss in Madagascar. The group winner qualifies for the 2026 finals whilst the runner-up might face a play-off if they are one of the best four of nine runners-up.
Many of the Comoros squad play in the lower leagues in France but record goal scorer El Fardou ben Nabouhane ( 17 goals ) now plays in Cyprus for APOEL, having previously been with Olympiakos, Panionios and Red Star Belgrade. For simplicity he is usually known just as Ben. Fatbear saw him score the only goal of the game for Panionios against Iraklis in 2017 in Athens, and he has also featured in these diaries in preview of the Serbia 2021/22 season for Red Star.
https://fatbearssportingdiaries.blogspot.com/2020/01/panionios-1-0-iraklis-att-2017.html
Of the others, winger Said Bakari plays for Sparta Rotterdam, centre-back Younn Zahary plays for FK Zalgiris in Lithuania, midfielder Yacine Bourhane is with Danish side Esbjerg, winger Kassim Hadji plays for Ararat Yerevan in Armenia and forward Ahmed Mogni plays for Luxembourg side Jeunesse Esch. Forward Myziane Maolida had a spell last season with Scottish side Hibernian on loan from Hertha Berlin.
Comoros Premier League
Thirty teams compete in the Comoros Premier League and are split into three regional divisions. This season, twelve side were in the Ngazidja League, which represents Grand Comore, the largest island of the archipelago, eight sides were in the Mwali ( Moheli ) League, the smallest of the inhabited islands, and ten sides played in the Nzwani ( Anjouan ) League. Mayotte has its own competition, and their sides participate in the French FA Cup.
The three champions then play each once other in the final round to determine the overall champion, with these matches typically being played at the same venue. This year the three play-off games are being played at Stade El Hadj Matoir in Fomboni on Mwali.
The distance between Anjouan to Moheli is around 80 kilometres, which takes 20 minutes by air, whilst the journey from Grand Comore is around 110 kilometres and takes 25 minutes by air.
2023/24 Season So Far
Moroni based four-time champions Union Sportive Zilimadjou won the Ngazidja league, finishing one point ahead of Volcan Club with a 14-5-3 record. Their last title was in 2020/21. Sides from the Ngazidja league have won 8 of the last 9 final play-offs.
Etoile du Centre de Salamani finished top of the Mwali league, nine points clear of their nearest rivals, Fomboni FC with a 12-0-2 record. Etoile de Centre have never won the overall Comoros title, whereas Fomboni have three titles to their name, the last of which was in 2019, and had won seven of the last ten Mwali leagues.
Etoile d’Or Mirontsy ( Golden Star ) finished six points ahead of Steal Nouvel to top the Nzwani league, possessing a 11-4-3 record. Etoile d’Or won their only Comoros title in 2008, and the last time a side from the Nzwani league went on to take the Comoros title was in 2013 when Komorozine de Domini were successful.
US Zilimadjou made a big step towards winning the Final round with a 2-0 victory over Etolie d’Or in the opening fixture, thanks to goals either side of the interval. The Mirontsy side now needed to win today and then hope Etoile du Centre beat US Zilimadjou.
Matchday Information
Today’s match, like all three of the final round, was scheduled to start at 15.00 local time ( 13.00 UK ). However, the kick-off time came and went but there didn’t seem to be any urgency to get the game started.
Eventually the two sides entered the field through an open gate between the fences and lined up for the national anthem. The flag of the Comoros Islands was flying on a flagpole close to the half-way line. The sides were then presented to a dozen or so dignitaries, and then after a period of confusion, one of the dignitaries performed a ceremonial kick-off. I have never seen the point of these ! The game finally commenced 13 minutes late.
The weather was sunny with a few white clouds overhead, and the temperature was 27 degrees.
Etoile d’Or were wearing an all blue kit with white numbers and trims, whilst Etoile du Centre were in white shirts with green sleeves, white shorts and green socks. However, the green numbers on the white shirt were not always easy to see.
Stade El Hadj Matoir, which has an artificial surface, doesn’t appear to have much in the way of spectator facilities as there is no stand or terracing. At the kick-off time there were around 500 people standing on the far side of the ground behind a fence, with another 100 or so spectators sitting or standing on a small bank behind one of the goals. Twenty or so fans had climbed onto a wall to get a better vantage point. However, as the game continued fans continued to pour into the ground so that by midway into the first half it looked packed on those two sides of the ground. Access to the other two sides of the pitch seemed to be have been prevented.
Of the usual internet websites with global football results coverage, only Sofascore have the results and tables from the Comoros Premier League, but they don’t provide goal scorers or team line-ups.
Matches in the Comoros Premier League are streamed live on FIFA+, but there was just one camera with no replays, no score and time graphics, no commentary and no team line-ups. Neither side had the players’ names on the back of their shirt either. As a result the match report will only be able to refer to player positions or numbers !
Match Report
The Etolie du Centre keeper was called into action with just over a minute played, coming of his line to gather a cross from the left wing, and got clattered in the process so needed treatment.
The opening stages were open and lively as both sides looked to make an early impression, but there was little goalmouth action. Etoile du Centre number 7 won a corner that was headed away and Etoile d’Or’s number 3 sent a long ball forward that presented an easy catch for the home keeper.
Etoile du Centre won a free-kick on the left-hand side of the pitch in the 15th minute, but the delivery was poor and sailed off for a goal-kick. The home keeper needed to again show some bravery four minutes later punching away a long ball into his area only for Etoile d’Or’s number 13 to collide with him for another free-kick and injury delay.
The first chance of the game arrived in the 21st minute when Etoile d’Or 13 played the ball across the face of the goal only for his number 9 to head the bouncing ball well wide.
Etoile du Centre were happy to play direct football, with the keeper kicking long, and their number 17 launching a couple of long throws into the Etoile d’Or area, which were headed away.
With 26 minutes played the visitors created a promising move as 13 and 9 combined but a good tackle averted the danger at the expense of a corner. The corner saw number 20 have a good header from 8 yards pushed away by the home keeper, then moments later there was an incredible miss as Etoile d’Or number 13 won possession midway in the Etoile du Centre half, played in number 10 but when the return pass presented a simple far post tap-in, number 13 fell over with the goal at his mercy and the ball rolled away for a goal-kick.
Etoile d’Or were getting on top but an injury to their number 9 led to a communal water break as the striker received treatment.
With 32 minutes played the home side had their first shot on target but after a long ball down the left-hand channel, the first time shot was pushed away by the Golden Star keeper and put out for a throw-in.
10 minutes before half-time, Etoile d’Or number 10’s free-kick reached number 20, who shot into the side netting from 10 yards out on the left hand side of the goal. A minute later, another free-kick from number 10 saw number 6 have a 10 yard header blocked, and after the ball was cleared, Etolie d’Or number 19 got to the loose ball first but was fouled going for a 50/50 ball.
After another lengthy treatment for injury he was okay to continue. Number 10 again took the set-piece over the defensive wall, but the home keeper was able to punch away for a corner. The set-piece delivery caused some confusion in the home defence after Etoile d’Or number 6 got his head to the ball, but they were eventually able to put out for another corner. The subsequent corner was cleared as far as the Etoile d’Or number 9 who blazed wildly well over the bar.
A nice move from the visitors saw number 10 lay back to number 4, whose decent cross was put out of play for another corner. Etoile d’Or were now dominating the game and forced two more consecutive corners which came to nothing.
However, it was Etoile du Centre who finished the half strongly as Etoile d’Or number 5 needed to make a brave challenge and won a free-kick, and then a minute later a long range effort hit a defender to give the home side a corner, which was punched away by the Etoile d’Or keeper. It remained goal-less at the interval.
Etoile du Centre made a substitution at the start of the second period with number 7 replacing number 20, but it was the visitors who nearly made an instant impact as number 13 fed number 20 who shot high and wide left-footed from 20 yards.
At the other end a long range effort went a few feet over, and then a 20 yard effort from the big lump up front ( number 18 ) produced a decent but routine diving save from the Etoile d’Or keeper. Etoile du Centre’s number 20 then skipped past the right-back but his fierce cross was behind his forwards.
It was therefore a little against the run of play at the start of the second half when the visitors took the lead. Poor defending conceded a corner, from which the ball from number 16 was met at the back post by a bullet header from number 6, giving the home keeper no chance. 0-1 after 51 minutes.
6 minutes later an Etoile d’Or player picked up a nasty off the ball injury not picked up by the camera which required him to be carried off on a stretcher, and number 11 came on as his replacement.
Etoile du Corner pressed for an equaliser but number 17 curled a long range effort a few feet over the bar, then a corner played low to the near post was comfortably cleared. A free-kick from the half-way line was then over-hit and easily claimed by the Etoile d’Or keeper.
The visitors were dropping like flies as number 10 required treatment for another unseen incident, then another player went down with what looked to be cramp and had to be replaced by number 2.
The game was now starting to get feisty but after 70 minutes a cross from Etoile d’Or number 10 was poorly headed well wide. However, Etoile du Centre were building up a head of steam and the visitors’ number 6 had to made a smart header to concede a corner, and a left-wing cross was well-held by the Etoile d’Or keeper at his back post. Another good move for the home side was thwarted by Etoile d’Or’s number three conceding a corner.
This led to the game’s moment of controversy and confusion as Etoile du Centre’s number 10 volleyed the corner from beyond the far post and it looked like it had been headed off the line. However, signalled a goal, and the Etoile du Centre players retreated to their own half with the ball in anticipation of the restart. The Etoile d’Or players complained to the linesman, and the referee then went over to the touchline. The next thing we saw on the live stream was play resuming close to the left-hand touchline, so it wasn’t clear if the goal stood or had been disallowed but I presumed it was now 1-1 after 76 minutes !.
Shortly afterwards, a long ball out of the Etoile d’Or half was totally mis-kicked by the Etoile du Centre keeper, and the visitors’ number 11 had the simple task of putting the ball into the empty net for what was presumably 1-2. In any case, after a dreadful error Etoile d’Or led after 79 minutes.
Etoile du Centre did respond with another corner beyond the far post which was comfortably saved by the away keeper, who was shortly afterwards shown a yellow card for time wasting at a goal-kick. When Etoile du Centre won another corner, play was again held-up due to injuries to two visiting players and when play eventually resumed, the cleared corner was played back into the far posted but a right footed strike was well saved.
The final whistle blew shortly after, and Etoile d’Or deservedly took the three points. In particular, their numbers 3 and 4 looked decent at the back, and number 10 fancied himself as the midfield play-maker.
