A-SQUAD NEWS, CLUB NEWS

IS THIS THE FINAL BLOW?

SERAING - BEERSCHOT  2 - 1

Beerschot missed the opportunity to put new life into the relegation battle by losing this all important 'sixpointer' with their nearest and fiercest rival. Seraing, with their striker Mikautadze in a starring role, were the better team on the night and deservedly won 2-1 and opened up a 10 point gap in the table, facing Beerschot with an almost impossible uphill struggle again. Our Mannekes controlled the game in the first twenty minutes but failed to score in that period. Then the home team took over and outplayed Beerschot that lacked grit, winning mentality and quality to bounce back. Another disappointing night for our club...  

Bourdin with a header from a Holzhauser corner and Holzhauser when Avenatti sent him through created the first - and only - chances in the first half.  Then Seraing pounced, with Mikautadze running circles round Beerschot's defense. At first Biebauw saved his low shot but five minutes before the break our goalkeeper fouled Bernier in the box and a penalty was given.  Mikautadze, who else, scored from the spot with a clinical ball through the middle.

In his search for offensive power coach Lucho Torrente sent on Lawrence Shankland. And our Scottish striker delivered instantly when he scored Beerschot's equaliser from a Holzhauser corner. A perfect start of the second half it was, but it didn't take long before Seraing reacted. And scored again. With Mikautadze in an all important role. He outran and tricked Lemos, hit the post but Maziz netted the rebound. 

That second goal was a big uppercut for Beerschot as suddenly the mentality, confidence and abilty faded. We were lucky Seraing failed to score from three golden opportunities. Biebauw produced a brilliant save on  the first one, the two other chances went high over the bar. Beerschot were still in it but shots and headers from Noubissi, Avenatti and Shankland didn't hit the target. At the other end, Seraing did score a third through Mikautadze yet again after an impressive run. That goal was eventually ruled out for off side. But it didn't spare Beerschot's blushes at all.  
 

ATTENDANCE: 0

REFEREE: Van Driessche

GOALS: 40' Mikautadze 1-0 (strafschop), 49' Shankland 1-1, 56' Maziz 2-1

SERAING: Dietsch, Opare (57' Boulenger), Nadrani, Wague, Poaty (76'Spago), Dabila, Cachbach  (76' Lahssaini), Bernier, Maziz, Kilota, Mikautadze

BEERSCHOT: Biebauw, Dom (66' Halaimia), Radic, Lemos, Bourdin (46' Shankland), De Met, Pietermaat, Sanusi, Holzhauser (77' Rigo), Avenatti, Suzuki (55' Noubissi)

YELLOW CARDS: Biebauw, Dietsch, Mikautadze

RED CARDS: geen

By Danny Geerts
Photo: Jan Mees

 

Jupiler Pro League

1 K. Beerschot V.A. 50 pts
2 SK Lommel 48 pts
3 K.M.S.K Deinze 46 pts
4 F.C.V. Dender E.H 45 pts
5 Patro Eisden Maasmechelen 43 pts