WAASLAND BEVEREN – BEERSCHOT 1 - 2
Beerschot recorded a fourth away win in a row tonight. After earlier victories at Zulte Waregem, OH Leuven and Racing Genk Will Still’s team now beat Waasland Beveren. With rather poor but ever so efficient football. Two good scoring opportunities resulted in two goals. One from Joren Dom and one from Rapha Holzhauser. Enough to win… and move up to sixth place in the table.
One give away goal, two injuries, three lucky escapes and no shots on target: the first half hour was poor and disappointing from Beerschot’s point of view. Waasland Beveren’s goal was a gift after a sloppy and lack of concentration moment early in the game, which allowed an unmarked Heymans to head home at the far post.
The home team showed more passion and determination, combined well and threatened with a couple of shots from close range. Vanhamel saved but Beerschot were pushed further and further into defence, almost crumbled under Beveren’s pressure and lost both Bourdin and Pietermaat with injuries.
A free kick from Holzhauser then suddenly changed the game pattern as Joren Dom tapped in for an unexpected equaliser. Waasland Beveren reacted with some one touch combinations but Mike Vanhamel stood firm. Just like he did early in the second half when he pushed away shots from Koita and Frey, and when Heymans let fly from outside the box but hit the crossbar. Defending was Beerschot’s only option in that (difficult) period.
One dangerous counter attack at the other end led to a second Beerschot goal. Ryan Sanusi sent Rapha Holzhauser clean through, and our Austrian midfielder put the ball in the far corner. After assist number 15 this was his 14th goal of the season. Impressive statistics. In the remaining quarter of an hour Beerschot’s defence remained calm under the home team’s crosses and shots, with Vanhamel producing an all important match winning save in the dying minutes.
ATTENDANCE: 0
REFEREE: Lambrechts
GOALS: 8’ Heymans 1-0, 34’ Dom 1-1, 73’ Holzhauser 1-2
WAASLAND BEVEREN: Gabriel, Bertone, Albanese (70’ Sula), Nilsen, Khammas, Vukotic, Verstraete (79’ Faucher), Schryvers, Frey, Heymans, Koita (79’ Cijntje)
BEERSCHOT: Vanhamel, Dom, Radic, Frans, Prychynenko, Bourdin (22’ Vorogovskiy), Pietermaat (29’ Coulibaly), Sanusi, Holzhauser, Brogno (81’ Mukuna), Eleke (81’ Halaimia)
YELLOW CARDS: Heymans, Brogno, Radic, Vukotic
RED CARDS: none
By Danny Geerts
Photo: Jan Mees
