Jupiler Pro League
Anderlecht is still waiting for its first away win in the play-offs. When visiting Cercle Brugge, the purple and white suffered an expensive loss of points (1-1) in the title battle. “But we are still first.”
Things were not good in Bruges. Anderlecht could thank Colin Coosemans for the point against Cercle Brugge. With an ultimate reflex he saved Somers’ effort. “A fantastic save,” said Mats Rits. “I don’t know how he whips it out of his goal. Colin has been one of my best friends for ten years and I used to play with him. I know his qualities. It is nice for him that he can finally show that he can also be important.”
And yet there seemed to be little going on during the rest. Anderlecht may not have played well, but Cercle also failed to create many chances. “Our plan was good in the first half,” says Rits. “We knew what to expect from a match against Cercle Brugge: many duels, a lot of intensity. I think we deservedly go into halftime with a 1–0 lead.”
“In the second half we were 30 to 35 minutes down. They then immediately score the 1–1, which I don’t think is really a chance. Daland takes the falling ball perfectly. Afterwards we never got into our game and Cercle created many chances. I think Colin saves us there. Until we create opportunities again in the last fifteen minutes. How the ball didn’t go in after Angulo’s header: I still don’t know. I had actually already counted him.”
Hot breath
Kasper Dolberg made the same analysis. According to the goalgetter, the Purple & White came out of the dressing room too weak. “How do I explain that? Don’t know. But at the end we also had chances to win. Even if they had that too.”
Due to Anders Dreyer’s injury, Dolberg moved to the right flank. He did bring something. In that new position he can make more actions than in striker. “Yet I remain a number nine. But if the coach thinks this is the best option, I will play there every day. You play less with your back to the goal and there is more space. You can see the game more in front of you. That’s a big difference.”
After Bruges’ victory, Anderlecht felt Club’s hot breath more and more on their necks. Yet Purple and White still have everything in their hands. And both Dolberg and Rits like to emphasize this: “We are still first. We have it in our own hands. That is the most important. Doesn’t matter who the biggest rival is. We have to look at ourselves.”
CERCLE BRUGGE-ANDERLECHT1–1Goals: 11′ Stroeykens 0-1; 51′ Daland 1-1
