Assists from Saelemaekers save Anderlecht

GAMES After a fiercely fought match, Anderlecht have qualified for the 1 / 8th finals of the Belgian Cup. It beat Beerschot with 2-3 and thanks Alexis Saelemaekers for this. The winger provided three assists.


Due to the flares of the Beerschot supporters, the game started with a few minutes delay. The first chance was for Anderlecht, but Vancamp saved a header from Chadli for the line. The visitors pressed Beerschot in the first minutes against their own goal, but that did not produce much. And the club from 1B got better in the match.

After about twenty minutes of play, Beerschot was awarded a free kick on the corner of the penalty area. Holzhauser curled the ball low in front of goal. Vlap missed him and everyone behind him did the same: 1-0 Beerschot. Anderlecht was upset and Beerschot got wings. Certainly when a few minutes later Kompany had to leave due to an injury. Anderlecht went into the break with a draw. Saelemaekers, edge offside, with the cross and Nasri kicked him past Vanhamel in one time.

Anderlecht again took the lead after the break. Beerschot needed violations (and cards) to keep the people from Brussels away. Roofe, who played a creditable game, had a good chance. He played over Vanhamel, but had to go too far to hit the goal. On the other side, Saint-Louis came face to face with Van Crombrugge, but the Anderlecht goalkeeper won the duel.

Fifteen minutes before time, Vancamp received his second yellow when he stepped on Sardella's ankle. Anderlecht benefited from the man more through Saelemaekers. From the left, he gave the ball in front of the goal with right. Under pressure from Roofe, Bourdin worked the ball past his own goalkeeper. Anderlecht seemed to be on their way to victory, but after a free kick by Holzhauser the ball was not kicked away. The ball came to Brogno through Sanusi's hand. Barely one minute after he came in, he scored the 2-2.

So prolongations, and Anderlecht went in with ten against ten. In the injury time of the regular playing time, Luckassen pulled the emergency brake on the broken Placca. After a good five minutes in the first prolongation, Brogno made Anderlecht shake again. Through the legs of Dewaele, past Kayembe, but luckily Van Crombrugge saved in the short corner. On the other side, Saelemaekers kicked a free kick within Vanhamel's reach.

The first minute of the second prolongation was barely over when Saelemaekers again swung a good cross, now from the right, in front of the goal. Thelin dived perfectly between Bourdin and Vanhamel and scored the 2-3 on the board. Saelemaekers and (the substitute) Doku had to deal with cramps afterwards, Anderlecht persisted. Even if it was narrow. In the added time of the prolongations, Van Crombrugge saved while lying on an attempt by Brogno.

Score: 2-3
Goal(s): 20 'Holzhauser (1-0), 41' Nasri (1-1), 78 'Bourdin (1-2, own), 87' Brogno (2-2), 106 'Thelin (2-3 )

Beerschot: Vanhamel, Halaimia, Bourdin, Prychynnenko (86 'Brogno), Vorogovskiy, Sanusi, Holzhauser, Vancamp, Saint-Louis (98' De Keersmaecker), Tissoudali (80 'Dom), Noubissi (73' Placca)
Anderlecht: Van Crombrugge, Sardella, Sandler, Kompany (26 'Dewaele), Luckassen, Sambi Lokonga, Vlap (46' Doku), Nasri (84 'Kayembe), Saelemaekers, Roofe (91' Thelin), Chadli

Yellow: 56 'Sanusi, 60' Vorogovskiy, 63 'Vancamp, 69' Chadli, 85 'Saelemaekers, 100' Holzhauser, 112 'Sardella
Red: 74 'Vancamp (2 x yellow), 90 + 2' Luckassen

Referee: Nicolas Laforge
Stadium: Olympic Station