Look at Beerschot right now: we are leaders in Division 1A. And rightly so. It was a difficult game this afternoon though, where Mechelen was by far the better team, hence the 2-1 scoreline at the break. But what a come back Beerschot produced in the second half. A complete turnover. A combination of power, skill and determination it was. With two headers from Jan Van den Bergh and Ismaila Coulibaly. Nothing but praise (yet again!) for coach Hernan Losada and his players. Time to enjoy!
KV Mechelen set the pace from the start. The home team produced power football, showed more desire and combined better. Hairemans curled a free kick dangerously over the bar… but a couple of minutes later it was Beerschot who scored. With a few seconds of Tissoudali magic by tricking the goalkeeper and putting the ball in the far corner. A beauty. In minute 13 on top.
It was Mechelen who created the better goal scoring opportunities, with dangerous actions over the flanks. So it didn’(t come as a surprise when Frédéric Frans put the ball in his own net after a dangerous cross from Storm. Bad luck but a deserved equaliser.
Beerschot’s high pressure on the Mechelen defense didn’t result in good chances. The home team remained strong on the counter. Walsh hit the post after yet another good combination and the inevitable happened just before the break. And again it was an own goal. This time Mboko was unlucky when a shot from Schoofs bounced off his leg behind Vanhamel. 2-1 at half time.
But what a performance from Beerschot in the second half: more pressure in midfield, more space on the flanks and KV Mechelen were forced to retreat in defense. When KV-midfielder Vranckx was sent off after an hour Beerschot took full advantage from that 11-against-10-situation. And scored two goals in ten minutes. Two headers. First Jan Van den Bergh, later Ismaila Coulibaly headed in high crosses. 2-1 became 2-3: the perfect reply to a less impressive first half.
It proved to be the final blow for the home team who had run out of steam by then too. Beerschot calmly consolidated the 2-3 score. In a confident and freewheeling way. Showing professionalism and class. More than enough the claim victory and the top position in the league. What a season we’re having!
ATTENDANCE: 0
REFEREE: Visser
GOALS: 13’ Tissoudali 0-1, 20’ Frans 1-1 (own-goal), 43’ Mboko 2-1 (own-goal), 70’ Van den Bergh 2-2, 80’ Coulibaly 2-3
KV MECHELEN: Coucke, Walsh, Hairemans, Storm, Van Damme, Voet (84’ Togui), Schoofs (84’ Kaya), Mrabti (77’ Peyre), Wernersson, Vanlerberghe, Vranckx
BEERSCHOT: Vanhamel, Mboko (81’ Sanyang), Frans, Van den Bergh, Vorogovskiy (85’ Van den Buijs), Pietermaat, Coulibaly, Sanusi, Holzhauser, Tissoudali (74’ Eleke), Suzuki
YELLOW CARDS: Coulibaly, Pietermaat, Vanlerberghe, Hairemans, Storm, Schoofs
RED CARDS: 60’ Vranckx
By Danny Geerts
Photos: Jan Mees
