SINT-TRUIDEN - BEERSCHOT 3 - 2
Beerschot twice came back from a goal behind, then missed a golden opportunity to settle the game and in the end conceded a third that left us pointless - and speechless - after a more than decent team performance. Close but no cigar yet again; the story of our season really.
Coach Greg Vanderidt was forced to field an experimental team after five regulars - Biebauw, Dom, Van den Bergh, Avenatti and Sebaoui - all failed late fitness tests and were unavailable. It took a while before the team settled and by the time they did Sint-Truiden had already scored twice through Brüls. His first goal was disallowed for offside, his second stood after a brilliant shot in the far corner. Beerschot responded well, took over midfield and netted an equaliser: Suzuki was sent through by Vaca and scored via the post. Our Japanese strikers's first goal for fourteen months. The game was back on but unfortunately Beerschot's joy was short lived. On the half hour our defense lost Hara and the STVV forward was totally unmarked and could easily head in the 2-1.
The home team kept the pressure on early in the second half but lacked composure in the box to decide the match. The game pattern changed when Holzhauser came on. He immediately took a commanding role in midfield and caused danger in the STVV box with two good corners. Radic saw his first shot saved by Schmidt, but later he headed home when Shankland cleverly diverted the ball. Minutes later Lawrence Shankland missed a golden opportunity to put Beerschot 3-2 up after a good low Suzuki cross. Shanks only halfhit the ball that rolled yards wide.
What an expensive miss that would prove. In the final quarter of the game Sint-Truiden upped the tempo an pushed Beerschot back into defense. Goalkeeper Lejoly produced a fabulous save on a shot from Hara... but was beaten when Koita could walk freely through our back five and pinned the ball in the low corner for the winning goal.
ATTENDANCE: 4.000
REFEREE: De Cremer
GOALS: 13' Brüls 1-0, 24' Suzuki 1-1, 30' Hara 2-1, 67' Radic 2-2, 87' Koita 3-2
STVV: Schmidt, Al-Dahkil, Hashioka, Reitz (76' Kagawa), Hayashi (72' Klauss), Hara, Bauer, Janssens, Lavalée (72' Durkin), Leistner, Brüls
BEERSCHOT: Lejoly, Bourdin, Halaimia, Radic, De Smet, Pietermaat (85' Coulibaly), Rigo (65' Holzhauser), Sanusi, Vaca, Suzuki, Shankland
YELLOW CARDS: Suzuki, Radic, Koita
RED CARDS: geen
By Danny Geerts
