Game Day Five is in the history books and it looks like Gabriel Slonina has quickly found his feet between the Eupen sticks, while Bryan Reynolds and Westerlo are still without their first win of the season.
Eupen 3 – 1 OH Leuven
Gabriel Slonina started for Eupen and picked up back-to-back victories between the sticks for the Pandas, allowing just one goal on Saturday night that was from the penalty spot.
Leuven, one of five teams still waiting to put a check mark in the W column did not have their way and in fact, are currently sitting in the relegation places after five games into the season. They were dominant on the ball but not in producing goals.
Gary Magnee struck first for the home team after Federico Ricca came in late on Jon Finnbogason’s Icelandic ankle. Magnee placed the ball on the spot and scored his second of the season in the 24th minute.
Five minutes after the restart Isaac Nuhu opened up his scoring account for the new campaign when he shot from the center of the box right down the center of the goal to double the lead.
It turned out to be a penalty that caused Slonina to lose his clean sheet after Siebe Schrijvers was fouled in the box by Victor Pálsson. The Belgian midfielder placed the ball on the spot and sent the American keeper the wrong way.
Regan Charles-Cook, a second-half sub, made the most of his cameo and put the game to bed with just three minutes left on the clock, assuring all the points stay in Eupen. It did however look as though the visitors would make a game of it until the final whistle when Ewoud Pletinckx’s scored a very nice goal but after VAR was consulted, it was ruled to have been offsides and thus the game ended 3-1.
Next up for Eupen will be a road trip to Mechelen to take on the Kakkers over the weekend.
Westerlo 2 – 3 Mechelen
It was another bad day at the office for Westerlo and their American right back, Bryan Reynolds, who went the distance in a game that saw them come away with no points, thanks to an own goal by Danish midfielder, Nicolas Madsen in the second half thus condemning the team to its fourth consecutive loss.
Things started well for De Kemphanen when after 20 minutes they found themselves in the lead at Het Kuipje when Lucas Stassin fired them in front. After Nacir Chadli set up the Belgian frontman, the 18-year-old curled his shot past the keeper and into the back of the net, scoring as if he had been playing professionally for years.
The youngster could have completed a brace almost ten minutes later but his shot was blocked by Mechelen keeper, Gaetan Coucke. Unfortunately for the shot-stopper, the ball fell to Matija Frigan, who completed the job as he scored his first goal at his new club that he joined this summer.
As is often said, soccer is a game of two halves and in this case, everything went Westerlo’s way in the first half but a revitalized Mechelen side started the second half with fire in their eyes and finally got their reward in the 75th minute when Rob Schoofs lit up the scoreboard to bring the Kakkers back into the game. And two minutes later it was all square as Madsen nodded a superb corner kick into the back of the net, but unfortunately into the back of his own net, to tie the game up.
With five minutes left on the clock, a Mechelen striker finally scored a goal when Lion Lauberbach tapped in the cross from second-half sub Patrick Flucke to collect all the points on the road.
Westerlo will travel west over the weekend to take on Cercle Brugge and hopefully come away with their first victory.
Kortrijk 1 – 1 Standard Liege
Marlon Fossey came off the bench for Standard in this stalemate.
See Michael Adubato‘s Press Box Report
Notes
The clash between Sam Vine‘s Antwerp and Genk had been postponed as the Belgian Champions prepare for the second leg of their Champions League qualifier in Greece, against AEK Athens. The first leg saw the Belgians win their first-ever CL game, 1-0. They’ll return to league action on September 3 when they head south to Brussels to take on Union St. Gilloise.
Likewise, Mark McKenzie and Genk also saw their game postponed as they too will be in European action next week. They’ll head off for the second leg of their Conference League qualifier down to Turkey to take on Adana Demirspor. The first leg ended 2-1 to the Limburgers. They’ll return to action Sunday afternoon when they host Anderlecht.
Follow Yanks Abroad on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn for news and views on Americans playing the beautiful game around the world and the U.S. national team.
