Watching TV today (Sunday), yes I know I should have been watching MOTD with Gary Lineker and friends, but I was in need of UVs so it was the Travel Show that took my eye. Today there was a very nice article on Mauritius...where?
There is an FA...Equipe de Maurice de Football, locally known as Club M or Les Dodos. Why Dodos? Surely you know why? Here is Prince Maurice of van Nassau, whom the island is named after; the Prince of Orange (Dutch to you lot), in 1598.
The nation's football is answerable to FIFA, CONCAF and their head coach is Francisco Filho. They play in the African Cup of Nations and in the Indian Ocean Island Games. The first ever international was against Reunion Island in 1947. The Triangulaire included Madagascar, the third island in the local competition.
Passions run high, for in 1999 in a match between the Port Louis Sporting Club (The Scouts Club) and the Pamplemousses (The Fire Brigade Club), a controversial penalty decision brought about a 2-1 win for Fire Brigade which led to a deadly riot and a ban of domestic football which caused a major decline in the Island's football. The Mauritian Island League, founded in 1930, continue to be played.
Matters were settled and by 2011 the island won through to the IOIG Final losing to the Seychelles on penalties. This signified a resurgence in Club M's (the national side) fortunes. and recent qualifying matches include games against Comoros, Angola, St Kitts and Nevis, Mongolia and most recently Togo away, losing 6-0. The next match is on the 27th March away at Mongolia in Ulaanbaatar. Check your Atlas.
Home international matches are played in a village venue, Belle Vue Maurel, a settlement of a 6,000 inhabitants! at the Stade Anjalay to thew north of the island. Capital Port Louis. Island pop: 1.2mill
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