Croky Cup
Ostend was unable to perform against Antwerp. The coastal team suffered a logical 3-0 defeat at the Bosuil. Antwerp will meet Union in the final.
A sixth cup final for Royal Antwerp FC or a second for KV Oostende… Was anyone in doubt what it would be? In football you have to believe in fairy tales, because it is crazy that a second division team, amid financial problems, has reached this far. But after losing 1-4 at home to Club NXT last weekend, there was a real feeling that KVO was faced with an impossible task at the Bosuil. Antwerp immediately grabbed the visitors by the throat. Zech Medley almost deflected Ejuke’s cross into his own goal, Zeno Van den Bosch nodded Ondrejka’s corner over goal. The home team developed a tempo that was much too high for the opponent and mainly came up from the right. If the crosses from ex-Ostend player Bataille had been a little better, the 1-0 could have quickly been on the board. Janssen, who replaced Ekkelenkamp in midfield, with Ilenikhena in the striker, also tried from a distance, but KVO goalkeeper Gabriël stood firm, just like Ejuke’s whistle.
The opening goal was inevitable. On a new corner kick from Ondrejka, which Alderweireld headed at Wylin, Ilenikhena was quick to score his twelfth of the season after fifteen minutes. The 17-year-old Nigerian Frenchman is a phenomenon.
The most difficult work was now over, but Antwerp had to stay focused. After Van den Bosch tackled a deep pass half wide, Berte was able to approach Senne Lammens. However, the Great Old goalkeeper did not have to intervene because KVO’s Belgian-Ivorian top scorer (with seven goals) tapped the ball too far in front of him and then poorly put it backwards. Missed opportunity to equalize – against the flow of the game. When Ondrejka painted a free kick on Van den Bosch’s head three minutes later, it was 2-0. Match played after 26 minutes?
It seemed that Antwerp would finish the second half a bit on a ralenti basis, although Ondrejka scored the 3-0 just before half time. We suspect that American coach Jamath Shoffner could not say much more than “Heads up” and “Keep on going” in the Kustboys’ dressing room. Avoiding a punishment or forfeit score was what mattered most. Yet it still became 3-0. Just as he opened the score, Ilenikhena scored the climax of the match. In minute 89 he nodded a measured cross from Udoh against the ropes. Mission accomplished for Antwerp, which is in the final for the third time in five years. Both Club Brugge (2020) and KV Mechelen (2023) came out on top at the Heysel, so Union has been warned. The appointment is (in principle) on May 9 at the Heysel, although we will already get a preview on March 17, on the final day of the regular competition. Then the people of Brussels come to visit again.
Cup final on 9 or 20 May?
The cup final normally takes place on Thursday, May 9 in the King Baudouin Stadium. However, that date coincides with the second leg in the semi-finals of the Conference League. Union is currently only in the 1/8th finals (against Fenerbahçe), but if the people of Brussels make it that far, the cup final will be moved to Monday, May 20, Whit Monday.
A striking date since the penultimate matchday in the play-offs is scheduled the weekend before. And a weekend later the final match day. If Union and/or Antwerp are still involved in a title battle by then, the cup final will be quite inconvenient.
