ZULTE WAREGEM – BEERSCHOT 0 – 3
After six defeats and two draws Beerschot picked up three points again. Our first win since the 29th of November when we beat KV Mechelen away. It was a well deserved victory for our Mannekes after a good team performance in a no nonsense game. Beerschot showed a lot of character and effort and impressed with two brilliant headers and a late penalty. What a way to finish off that less successful period. This win brings new hope and confidence.
Four new faces in our starting lineup: Dom, Prychynenko, Bourdin and Coulibaly all got the nod from coach Will Still, who opted for a strong defense and counter football. A wise and logic decision as the muddy pitch at the Regenboog Stadium didn’t allow technical football.
Beerschot created two good scoring opportunities in the first quarter of the game, with Joren Dom in the picture. First his shot hit the crossbar; a bit later he passed the ball to Coulibaly, who missed his shot and put the ball wide.
Zulte Waregem claimed the ball for most of the time but were unable to outplay the Beerschot defense who showed more power, security and organisation than four days earlier at Eupen. Mike Vanhamel was hardly put under pressure. Just before half time Sanusi had a good chance to break the deadlock but missed the composure to beat Bostyn. No goals at half time.
The goal Beerschot deserved in that very decent first half came early after the break. Holzhauser curled a free kick to the far post, where Jan Van den Bergh headed home.
Snow showers made the pitch even more unplayable which led to more ‘kick and rush’ football. But an inspiring Tom Pietermaat ruled the midfield and kept Beerschot in the game under the home team’s power play. Fifteen minutes from the end Joren Dom decided the game in our advantage when he headed in a corner from Holzhauser. Well deserved for our right back who played a blinder.
More good news was the re-appearance of Tarik Tissoudali after injury and the fact we kept our second clean sheet of the season. It was Mike Vanhamel himself who made sure of that after a brilliant save from Marcq.
In the dying minutes Denis Prychynenko got his minute of glory as well, when he converted a penalty for the 0-3 final score.
ATTENDANCE: 0
REFEREE: Dierick
GOALS: 55’ Van den Bergh 0-1, 75’ Dom 0-2, 88’ Prychynenko 0-3 (penalty)
ZULTE WAREGEM: Bostyn, Opare (71’ Srarfi), Humphreys, Deschacht, De Bock, Sissako (62’ Vossen), Marcq, Bruno, Govea, De Smet (71’ Dompe), Kainourgios (62’ Collasin)
BEERSCHOT: Vanhamel, Dom, Prychynenko, Frans, Van den Bergh, Bourdin, Pietermaat, Sanusi, Coulibaly, Holzhauser (81’ Tissoudali), Noubissi (42’ Suzuki, 86’ Brogno)
YELLOW CARDS: none
RED CARDS: none
By Danny Geerts
