GOOD PERFORMANCE BUT PAINFUL DEFEAT

BEERSCHOT - CHARLEROI  2 - 3

Beerschot's precarious situation in the table stays put after losing this "do or die"-match. It was an unfortunate defeat as our Mannekes were still leading by 2-1 after an hour. A well deserved score at the time as our performance was more than decent. An own goal and a debatable decision from ref Boucaut in  the last twenty minute eventually killed off Beerschot's hopes to narrow the gap with Seraing to four points.

Charleroi started strongly but were unable to threaten and it was Shankland who had the first scoring opportunity but his low shot was saved by Koffi, who later had to be replaced after picking up an injury. When Beerschot were taking over control it were the visitors who opened the score on a counter. Halaimia was outplayed and outrun by Bayo who chipped the ball over Vanhamel in the net.

 Beerschot's reaction came instantly and Ilias Sebaoui scored a brilliant equaliser with a shot in the top corner. The pressure was on and Charleroi were pushed back into their own penalty area. Reserve goalkeeper Kamara saved his team on two more occasions before half time by covering shots from Sebaoui - again - and Shankland.

The well deserved lead materialised just after the break when Shankland shielded the ball well and passed to the cleverly infiltrating Joren Dom who hit home. From 0-1 down to 2-1 up: the same scenario from two weeks ago against KV Kortrijk beckoned. However, this time Beerschot ran out of steam and Charleroi upped the pace of the game creating two good chances. Vanhamel saved the dangerous shots from Bayo and Badji and kept his team in the game.

It all went sour in the last twenty minutes. First Kayembe saw his shot going in when Radic deviated the ball in his own net; a bit later ref Boucaut let play go on when Zorgane clearly fouled Coulibaly before slotting home. Beerschot's protests were waved away. 
 

ATTENDANCE: 4.000

REFEREE: Boucaut

GOALS: 19' Bayo 0-1, 24' Sebaoui 1-1, 50' Dom 2-1, 72' Radic 2-2 (own-goal), 78' Zorgane 2-3

BEERSCHOT: Vanhamel, Dom, Halaimia (75' Coulibaly), Radic, Van den Bergh, Bourdin, Pietermaat (80' Suzuki), Sanusi, Vaca (75' Holzhauser), Sebaoui, Shankland

CHARLEROI: Koffi (23' Kamara), Knezevic, Bessile (6' Andreou), Zorgane, Bavo, Badji (90' Nkuba), Kayembe, Heymans, Ozornwafor, Ilaimaharitra (90' Zaroury), Tchatchoua (90' Wasinski)

YELLOW CARDS: Andreou, Coulibaly, Ilaimaharitra

RED CARDS: none

By Danny Geerts
Photo: Jan Mees