KVC Westerlo – Union
Yellow-blue against yellow-blue and two real people’s clubs with loyal supporters against each other. KVC Westerlo – Union guaranteed an atmospheric game of football before kick-off. Along Westerlo side, that atmospheric reputation was highlighted with not one, but two beautiful tifos.
Line-up KVC Westerlo: S. Bolat, P. Perdichizzi, J. Bos, N. Madsen, S. Sydorchuk, G. Yow, E. Daci (76′ N. Chadli), B. Reynolds, T. Rommens (67′ K. Vaesen), E. Bayram, L. Stassin (67′ M. Frigan)
First half
Whereas the Unionists initially claimed possession of the ball, it was Westerlo that opened the scoring early in the game. Yow found Daci in the sixteen and the North Macedonian striker coolly popped the 1-0 against the ropes.
The visitors’ counter reaction quickly followed through a Puertas’ blast from an acute angle that was cleared by Bolat. At the other end, Stassin also made his presence felt with a dangerous low slider that went just wide.
In the following minutes, a whirling Westerlo continued to create pressure in front of the visiting goal. Griffin Yow became the orchestrator of a series of dangerous attacks from his right flank, but our Kemphans were unable to extend the score. On the contrary, it was Union that hung the boards back in balance ten minutes before half-time with a razor-sharp blast from Lapoussin.
Second half
With the game tied we moved into the second half, in terms of ball possession, the value ratios were less equal in the second half of play. Union claimed the leather again and after ten minutes also managed to convert their superiority in possession into a lead on the scoreboard through a header by Dennis Eckert Ayensa.
Almost the quick 1-3 also came via the head. Sykes climbed above all and sundry on a corner kick, but saw his header goal disallowed for a prior foul on Bolat.
With a double substitution, coach De Roeck hoped to turn the tide. With the addition of Vaesen and Frigan, he provided extra punch up front, something that inspired fellow attacker Yow to strike from the edge of the box soon after the substitution. However, his curled place ball narrowly missed the target.
Whose shot did not miss the target was Amoura’s. The Union striker saw his effort splattered on the bar ten minutes before time, Eckert Ayensa’s retrieval was swept out of goal with a cat-like reflex by Bolat.
Just before time, however, Amoura had another chance to add to the score one-on-one with Bolat, and this time the Algerian striker did not miss it. The 1-3 final score was a fact, the three points went to the blue and yellow team from Brussels.
Report: Glen Van Herck
Photos: Gvg/Photo News