Every Pro League team had one more game after Christmas before enjoying a winter holiday break. Probably the best news was that Sam Vines is once again fit and back in the starting lineup. Mind you, scoring the winning goal, as Yow did, is pretty cool too!
Genk 3 – 0 Antwerp
Mark McKenzie and Genk will enjoy their break just a little bit more, ending the season with three points and a shut-out over the Belgian Champions in front of their home crowd. The American defender went the distance, and even better news, Antwerp’s American defender, Sam Vines, is back and also put in a full shift but for him, no points were added to Antwerp’s tally.
Vines had seen very little action this season, having again sufferered a serious injury. He did play Antwerp’s last game against Westerlo on December 23rd, but before then his last action was the first half hour of the game against USG on September 3rd. Having played back-to-back 90 minute games, he looks ready to start the second half of the Pro League season fully fit and ready to help the Great Old defend their title.
There wasn’t a lot that he could do this time however as McKenzie’s Smurfs have been hard to beat lately and sit in fourth place. This time out it was Alieu Fadera and Emmanuel Arokodare who provided the goals that delivered the three points.
Arokodare hit the back of the net for the fifth and sixth time minutes apart in the second half but it was Fadera who got the first and eventual game winner, his third of the season after only 10 minutes.
Antwerp isn’t very far behind in the standings despite their loss, as they sit in sixth place. They’ll return from the break to take on Leuven on January 17th in Belgian Cup action, while Genk returns on the 20th to host Cercle Brugge after their winter training camp in Spain.
Leuven 3 – 0 Eupen
Gabriel Slonina and Eupen ended the year as they started the season – not winning. This was the American keeper’s 18th game between the sticks for the Pandas and after a positive start with a pair of wins, things only went downhill. His record for his time in Belgium thus far is 3 wins, 2 draws and 13 losses. In that time he has picked the ball out of his net on 41 occasions.
In this game against lowly Leuven, who have scored only four goals in their last 10 league games, put three past Slonina and wasted little time forcing the American to bend down and pick the ball out of the back of his net. Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson blasted a shot from just outside the box and into the far corner for the lead after two minutes.
Before a half hour was played the score was doubled by Youssef Maziz. After that, the visitors held their own and even threatened a goal but it never materialized. What did however was Leuven’s third in the 89th minute from Suphanat Mueanta. This was the Frenchman’s third goal of the season.
The loss sees Leuven leapfrog Eupen into 14th place. Before returning to action in the new year, the Pandas will play a friendly against Schalke before their league return against Molenbeek in Brussels.
Notes
Alex Mighten never got off the bench for Kortrijk when they hosted Gent and lost by two goals to none in their last game of the year. On a five game losing streak, the Kerels will get to lick their wounds for a while and will hopefully be back a better team in 2024 than the one in 2023. The last place team will travel to the southeast to take on Standard Liege on January 20th.
Marlon Fossey was subbed off at halftime when Standard Liege hosted Sint-Truiden on Wednesday afternoon. Still injured, Kahveh Zahiroleslam missed out on this 1-1 game. After the break, Les Rouches will host Kortrijk, while the Canaries go up against league leaders, USG.
