TWO POINTS LOST

BEERSCHOT - DENDER  1 - 1

Beerschot could only draw against wooden spoonist Dender on Sunday night and missed  a golden opportunity to climb up to a shared second spot in the table. All the action and both goals were packed in the second half. Sanusi put us one up early after the break but the visitors equalised after bad marking in the Beerschot defense. Two expensive points lost for Andress Wieland's side.

In a rather boring first half Beerschot tried their best but the build up was too slow and sloppy to create scoring opportunities. Sanusi, Vaca and others couldn' get grip in midfield and played the long ball game, almost never reaching the forwards. The Dender defense stood firm and when they were outplayed didn't hold back with knee high tackles. Both Van den Bergh and Sanusi suffered, needed treatment but could continue.

It was on the brink of half time Beerschot recorded their one and only shot on target, but Nzita's shot was fisted away by Cies. 

The second half was better and started well with a nice cross from Verlinden but Baeten hit the goalkeeper's fists again. Just five minutes later Sanusi broke the deadlock hitting home from a pass from Baeten. It seemed the three points were in the bag as Dender hadn't been in or near the Beerschot box, let alone create a scoring opportunity. Verlinden came close to double the score, but saw his shot deflected in corner.

Twenty minutes before the end Dender scored an equaliser. Totally out of the blue and helped on by the home defense who left Marzo too much space, and the ex-Beerschot player put the ball in the net. During a nervous and sloppy last quarter both teams created opportunities; the best one for Thorisson who missed from only five metres. 

ATTENDANCE: 4.500
REFEREE: Vermeire
GOALS: 50' Sanusi 1-0, 71' Marzo 1-1
BEERSCHOT: Lathouwers, Seydoux (61' Rigo), Meisl (61' Weymans), Van den Bergh, Frans, Matthys, Van den Bergh,, Nzita, Sanusi, Vaca (46' Verlinden), Baeten (89' Sebaoui), Thorisson
DENDER: Cies, Smet, Borry, Ragolle, Van Oudenhove, Lallemand (79' Atteri), Hens, Myny (64' Rajsel), Rodes, Cukur, Marzo
YELLOW CARDS: Seydoux, Borry, Atteri, Weymans
RED CARDS: none

By Danny Geerts
Photo: Jan Mees