BEERSCHOT - OUD-HEVERLEE LEUVEN 3 - 1
A big sigh of relief at the Olympic Stadium tonight as Beerschot's third win of the season not only brings back confidence but also new hope in the relegation battle. With games against OHL, Seraing and Zulte Waregem in the space of just one week Lucho Torrente's team need at least seven points out of nine to stand a (last) chance of staying up. With goals from three defenders - Lemos, Dom and Van den Bergh - they recovered from an early set back, put in a great team performance and recorded a well deserved victory. Beerschot aren't dead yet.
No Holzhauser and Van den Bergh in Beerschot's starting XI but Ryan Sanusi returned after five months of injury problems and a long rehabilitation and immediately took control in midfield. While newcomer Felipe Avenatti again showed his value up front. It all started badly though as OHL took the lead after just eight minutes when a shot from Schrijvers ended up in goal with Biebauw well beaten. But Beerschot reacted well.
Vaca tried his luck from the edge of the box but saw his shot saved by Runarsson. It was the start of a convincing fifteen minutes in which Beerschot scored twice. First Lemos beautifully curled a free kick in the top corner; a bit later Dom popped up at the far post with a brilliant header from a Bourdin cross. An impressive come back. Efficient and hopefull.
Three good scoring opportunities just after the break for Beerschot, but Avenatti, Sanusi and Suzuki were all denied a thrid goal by the visiting goalkeepr who produced stupendous saves and kept his team in the match. OHL threatened a couple of times through Maertens and Dewaest but our defense stood firm, with Wouter Biebauw as a confident goalkeeper.
Less than a minute after he was brought on Rapha Holzhauser lashed out from twenty yards but again Runarsson palmed his shot out of the top corner, so denying our Austrian midfielder a perfect super sub moment. Coach Torrente's changes by bringing on Noubissi, Holzhauser and Van den Bergh paid off in the last minute of the game when they all played their part in Beerschot's third and decisive goal.
ATTENDANCE: 0
REFEREE: Van Damme
GOALS: 8' Schrijvers 0-1, 24' Lemos 1-1, 38' Dom 2-1, 90' Van den Bergh 3-1
BEERSCHOT: Biebauw, Dom, Radic, Lemos, Bourdin, De Smet, Pietermaat, Sanusi, Vaca (71' Holzhauser), Avenatti (81' Van den Bergh), Suzuki (88' Noubissi)
OHL: Runarsson, Ngawa, Dewaest, Schrijvers, Mercier, Suleiman (82' Shengelia), De Norre, Keita (70' De Sart), Maertens (82'Gilis), Özkacar, Allemeersch (70'Rezaei)
YELLOW CARDS: Schrijvers, Avenatti, Maertens
RED CARDS: NONE
By Danny Geerts
Photo: Jan Mees
