Agony in the dying minutes

Beerschot – Beveren 0-1

Despite delivering a strong team performance Beerschot were beaten by second placed Beveren with a goal in the very last minute of an entertaining game of football. A header from Vukotic from a corner decided the match in favour of the visitors. And that was a hard blow for our Mannekes who deserved more out of it.

Beerschot's start was promising with high pressure and good attacking football. Van den Bergh created the first good opportunity when his cross was met by Baeten whose header went narrowly wide. Only a couple of minutes later Beveren responded with a shot from Mbokani, who was clearly offside. The linesman didn't spot it but Lathowers saved with a brilliant reflex on the goal line.

Also after the break Beerschot were the better team, pushing Beveren back in their own box, with Sebaoui, Baeten and Verlinden threatening. But the visitors' defense stood firm. The best scoring opportunity was for Baeten. Goalkeeper Reus denied our club topscorer by palming the ball over the crossbar. No luck for our Mannekes.

Ref Lambrechts and his linesmen fumbled on several occasions when Verlinden was wrongly flagged down for offside, while a tackle from Guimaraes on Thorisson's ankles went unnoticed when a red card should have been the only right punishment.

Fifteen minutes from the end bad luck prevented a so well deserved Beerschot goal when a shot from Alhassen was saved by the goalkeeper and Baeten's rebound ended up against Bateau's shin with Reus saving on the goal line. In the dying seconds however it was Beveren that stole the victory when Vukotic headed a corner past Lathouwers. What a cold shower that was...

ATTENDANCE: 6.000
REFEREE Lambrechts.
GOALS: '88 Vukotic.
BEERSCHOT: Lathouwers, Van den Bergh, Matthys, Meisl, Baeten, Verlinden, Thorisson (’88 Frans), Koshi (’71 Alhassan), Rigo, Sebaoui, Konstantopoulos (’72 Seydoux).
BEVEREN: Reus, Guimaraes, Wuytens, Hrncar, Corryn (’62 Ngom), Vukotic, Barry, Verstraete, Bateau, Mbokani (’89 Filipovic), Nsimba (’60 Ribeiro).
YELLOW CARDS: Wuytens, Darasz (T2), Guimaraes, Rigo.
RED CARDS: Geen