THAT WINNING STREAK CONTINUES

BEERSCHOT - SL16 FC  1 - 0

No hiccup for Beerschot in their last home game of the calendar year as Andreas Wieland's team cruised past the Standard Liège youngsters and clinched their sixth win in a row. Thibaud Verlinden was our Man of the Match with a great performance and the winning goal. With one game to go before the winter break Beerschot stay on top of the table.

SL16 FC were dangerous in the very first minute when Tapsoba and Zaini set up a combination on the left wing that left our defense stranded. The shot from only five metres out zoomed over the crossbar. After that lucky escape Beerschot took control in midfield with opportunities for Baeten en Verlinden but goalkeeper Poitoux saved.

The Standard goalie had no chance minutes later when Weymans set up Verlinden for the opening goal. The visitors regrouped, defended well and countered through their fast and technically strong strikers Ziani and Tapsoba.

After half an hour the game almost derailed completely with some nasty fouls, pushing and shoving and disturbing tackles. Ref Bourdeaud'Hui tried to calm down the heated atmosphere on the pitch with some yellow cards; one for captain Ryan Sanusi - his fifth of the season - who will now miss our next game at Deinze.

Meanwhile Dante Rigo saw his free kick curl wide at the far post for what was the last memorable action of the first half. One-nil up at the break.

Beerschot started the second half with some brilliant and entertaining 'Full Power Football' wih flowing combinations, threatening attacks over the wings and a couple of good chances that pushed the visitors back. Thibaud Verlinden was our main man, turned his opponents inside out and set up Weymans, Baeten and Thorisson for a second goal. But they failed to put the ball in the net. Jan Van den Bergh came close too but was unlucky when his low shot hit the post.

SL16 FC threatened in the final five minutes and came close to an equaliser when a shot rebounded off the post but our Mannekes stayed firm and clinched a fully deserved victory. 

ATTENDANCE: 5.500
REFEREE: Bourdeaud'Hui
GOALS: 22' Verlinden 1-0
BEERSCHOT: Lathouwers, Seydoux (90+1' Meisl), Konstantopoulos, Matthys, Van den Bergh, Weymans (73' Alhassan), Rigo, Sanusi, Verlinden (90+1' Sebaoui), Baeten, Thorisson (84' Vaca)
SL16 FC: Poitoux, Banbse, Kuavita, Berberi (58' Dodeigne), Mawete, Brrou (81' Mabani), Ziani, Diaw , Tapsoba (80' Ghalidi), Calut (71' Duplus), Noubia (71' Diallo)
YELLOW CARDS: Tapsoba, Diaw, Sanusi, Wieland, Weymans, Calut, Dodeigne 
RED CARDS: 90' Kuavita

By Danny Geerts
Photo: Jan Mees