Union St Gilloise 2 – 0 Genk
Genk was playing for a chance to play in Europe next season, while USG was looking to claim the Belgian title on Sunday afternoon. The Unionist did what they had to do but Club Brugge held on in a boring no score derby against Cercle Brugge to claim the Belgian Pro League title. With Genk losing, they’ll now have to go into a one game play-off in order to secure a Euro spot. Mark McKenzie went the distance in this matinee.
The goals were scored on either side of the intermission with the first one coming from Charles Vanhoutte in the 37th minute. With the ball at his feet, the midfielder was given way to much space as he entered the 18 yard box from the left side. With nobody closing him down, the Belgian took the shot, curling it inside the far corner.
The lead was doubled 10 minutes before the final whistle, this time from the penalty spot. Gustaf Nilsson did the honors.
The loss leaves Genk in fifth place, which means that they will go up against Gent on Sunday afternoon for a shot at playing in the UEFA Conference League.
Leuven 1 – 2 Westerlo
Westerlo left it to the very last game of the play-offs to record a victory in their group in this meaningless game. Griffin Yow started for the Gamecocks and came off in the 94th minute but Bryan Reynolds was absent from the team sheet.
Westerlo ran off to a first half lead with Kyan Vaesen scoring in the 33rd minute and Ravil Tagir doubling the lead in stoppage time. Jon Borsteinsson got a goal back just after the re-start but the hosts could not produce anything after that strike.
Both Yow and Reynolds will more than likely spend their summer in Paris with the USA Olympic team and will hopefully add a medal to their resumes.
Mechelen 3 – 2 Standard Liege
It was a goal-fest in Mechelen when the Kakkers welcomed les Rouches to AFAS Stadium in yet another meaningless play-off game. Marlon Fossey, back to full health, played the entire game for Standard in this losing effort.
It was a brilliant performance for Mechelen’s German attacker, Lion Lauberbach, who had a relatively quiet season but ended it with a hat-trick in front of his home crowd. The 26-year-old scored his third goal of the season after just 15 minutes, followed two minutes later by number four. The hat-trick was completed in the 90th minute.
Englishman Henry Lawrence scored in the 51st minute to keep the visitors in the game and they actually tied it up with six minutes left on the clock, thanks to Soufaine Benjdida. But then the Lion of Leuven completed his hat trick just before the final whistle.
Fossey will enjoy his summer vacation before joining up with les Rouches in late July to start preparing for the new campaign.
Notes
Kahveh Zahiroleslam spent most of the game on the bench, coming onto the field in the 68th minute. His Sint Truiden side ended up on the wrong end of a 2-0 loss against the group winners Genk. The American’s one year contract ends this summer, so stand by for what the future holds for him whether it is in Belgium or elsewhere.
