After Club’s victory against Antwerp, Union and Anderlecht knew what they had to do on Sunday evening: win. After the 6 on 6 against Antwerp, Union was finally back in the flow and wanted to continue that trend against Anderlecht, but the Purple & White certainly did not play a bad match. It was the visitors who started off the strongest.
The pace then slowed down a bit, but out of nowhere there was Union: Mac Allister pushed a headed ball from Machida into the goal and was able to celebrate, but the VAR had rightly ruled it offside. So not 1-0 at half time.
The same game pattern also after the break. Anderlecht started strongly with chances for Stroeykens and Delaney. Union then took over: Amoura tested Schmeichel with a few long shots, but Nilsson, who was sent deep, ultimately got the biggest chance.
Scoring was no longer an option, so Club is now the sole leader. Anderlecht follows on two points, Union on three. Everything is still possible, but Club is certainly the clear winner of the weekend.
Club Brugge with ‘champion luck’
Earlier in the day, Antwerp had started like a fury in its match against Club Brugge: after three (!) seconds, Janssen already picked up the yellow card after a big hit on Onyedika. Cutting off Club’s legs immediately and playing the physical card, that seemed to be the plan. But Blue and Black remained calm, survived the first half and went into halftime 0-0.
A goal was supposed to explode the match. And just like in Genk, the penny fell on the Bruges side. Thiago sent De Cuyper to the back line with a clever tap, and his cross fluttered past a bewildered Lammens via the foot of Alderweireld. Club ahead after a lucky goal. Again.
Antwerp’s response followed. A sharp cross from Kerk was missed by a toenail, but in the next phase Skov Olsen countered to make it 0-2. The Dane cleverly pushed the ball into the far corner in his well-known style. Played a match? Not at all, because a minute later Ordonez hung on Balikwisha. Vergoote pointed to the spot: the substitute was allowed to convert the penalty himself.
Five minutes of injury time made no further changes to the scoreboard: Club Brugge won for the sixth time in a row in the play-offs and, thanks to the Brussels draw, jumps to the top of the rankings.
Racing Genk takes 0 out of 9
After the double defeat against Club Brugge, Racing Genk lost again in Bruges on Saturday: it became no less than 4-1 to Cercle Brugge. Genk conceded 11 goals in three matches, is now definitively eliminated from the title and will have to do everything they can to secure fourth place.
Standings Champion’s Play-offs (after seven games)1. Club Brugge 45 points2. Anderlecht 433. Union 41 4. Genk 345. Cercle Brugge 336. Antwerp 29
