Tonight’s game between Beerschot and KV Kortrijk was only a faint reminder of the corresponding fixture earlier this season when both teams produced a sensational and unforgettable spectacle that ended in a 5-5 draw. Our Mannekes put in a decent defensive performance but never got in their stride in midfield and up front. The visitors combined better and created more chances but Mike Vanhamel proved his goalkeeping abilities once again. No goals in the Olympic Stadium.
With strikers Suzukin and Noubissi unavailable because of illness and injury coach Will Still dropped Blessing Eleke in his starting eleven for the first time this season. But that didn’t inspire Beerschot to good offensive actions. The game was in lockdown for most of the first half.
KV Kortrijk claimed the ball in midfield but their combinations didn’t get to the box. It led to only two decent shots on goal. First Chevalier saw his shot go wide, a couple of minutes later a low pass was prolongued twice but Vanhamel’s reflex was stupendous. Beerschot’s contribution was poor. Only Holzhauser’s high crosses created danger, but didn’t reach the strikers.
The quality of play didn’t improve much after the break. Beerschot didn’t find the space in midfield to create anything and it was Kortrijk who nearly broke the deadlock from a free kick. But Jonckheere’s header lacked power to threaten Vanhamel.
The visitors remained the better and more dangerous team also in the final quarter of the game, with chances for Palaversa and Gano but Vanhamel was always in the right place with good saves, making sure he could celebrate his second clean sheet in a row. Beerschot’s first – and only – shot on target came twelve minutes from the end by Holzhauser, with Kortrijk goalie Ilic responding well.
ATTENDANCE: 0
REFEREE: Boterberg
GOALS: none
BEERSCHOT: Vanhamel, Dom, Frans, Prychynenko, Van den Bergh, Pietermaat, Coulibaly, Sanusi, Bourdin (75’ Vorogovskiy), Holzhauser (83’ Brogno), Eleke (62’ Tissoudali)
KV KORTRIJK: Ilic, Dewaele, Sainsbury, Rougeaux, Palaversa (88’ Ocansey), Selemani, Makarenko, Jonckheere, Chevalier (74’ Stojanovic), Derijck, Gano (81’ Badamosi)
YELLOW CARDS: Prychynenko, Derijck, Palaversa
RED CARDS: none
By Danny Geerts
