A decent weekend for Yanks in Belgium saw Kahveh Zahiroleslam score in a losing effort for Sint-Truiden and Bryan Reynolds notch the winning assist to make Westerlo feel good about their decision to keep him out of the Olympics.
Sint-Truiden 1 – 4 Charleroi
After last week’s heartbreaker, where the Canaries surrendered a goal in stoppage time to lose 1-0 to Anderlecht, the team played a terrible first half against visiting Sporting Charleroi at the Stayen where they surrendered all four goals before the referee blew for half time.
Kahveh Zahiroleslam, the 22-year-old Californian, who had his contract extended until the end of this season, opened his account for the new Pro League season by finding the back of the net just past the hour mark. He played the duration but his strike can be seen as too little too late.
Thirty-three year old Jo Coppens has taken over as STVV’s number one between the sticks after American-born Japanese national keeper Zion Suzuki was sold to Serie A side Parma last month.
The Zebras got on the board after just 18 minutes after Coppens brought down Antoine Bernier in the box. Daan Heymans did the honors from the penalty spot to put Charleroi in the lead. A dozen minutes later, Heymans scored his second of the game when he directed a corner kick into the back of Coppens’ net. Parfait Guiagon stuck from the center of the 18 yard box in the 43th minute and Bernier make it four-nil three minutes later.
The American’s goal in the second half was a gift from the Charleroi keeper, Mohamed Koné. The Ivorian misjudged a cross into the box and unconvincingly punched it away. Away, happened to be at the feet of Zahiroleslam, who graciously accepted the gift and put it into the vacant net.
Starting the season 0-2, the Canaries will hope to avoid a third loss when they hit the road to take on Royal Antwerp next weekend in a Sunday matinee.
Mechelen 2 – 4 Westerlo
It was a good game for the neutrals as they got to see the ball hit the back of the net on half a dozen occasions when Bryan Reynolds and Westerlo made the trip to Mechelen to take on the Kakkers on Saturday afternoon.
The American defender went the distance and provided the assist for the final goal in stoppage time, in a game that would hand Westerlo all the points. Griffin Yow has not yet rejoined the team after his recently-completed Olympic adventures.
The game’s first goal came from the penalty spot after just 18 minutes. Toon Raemaekers looked to be late on his tackle but the referee saw nothing. VAR did, however, and suggested that Mr Van Driessche have a look at the screen. He did and then pointed to the spot.
Nicolas Madsen, who scored on 13 occasions for Westerlo last season, put the ball on the spot and scored his first of the new campaign. Seventeen-year-old Croatian Luka Vušković struck next, sending the visitors into the locker rooms with a two-nil half-time lead.
Twenty minutes into the second half Nicolas Storm got one back for the hosts but soon afterwards Josimar Alcócer re-established the two goal cushion. The Kakkers refused to admit defeat however and with just two minutes left on the clock, struck again.
With the one-goal cushion, Van Driessche decided to award an extra six minutes of stoppage time as Mechelen fought for the equalizer. But for the home fans, the ball went into the back of the wrong net. Reynolds’ 95th minute cross was headed home by Matija Frigan to secure the points and leave Westerlo at the top of the Pro League.
Up next as they look to continue their run will be a home game vs. USG.
Standard Liege 1 – 0 Club Brugge
Marlon Fossey was in Standard’s starting XI when the reigning Belgian champions, Club Brugge came to the Sclessin on Sunday evening. In this game where the visitors out-shot their hosts 10-4 and had most of the possession, it was les Rouches who found the back of the net in the second half for the game’s only goal, thanks to a set-up by the American.
Against the run of play, Fossey flew up the right flank with the ball and picked out Marko Bulat in the middle of the box. The Croatian shot and tucked it into the bottom right corner for the solitary goal.
Up next for Fossey and company will be a visit from KV Mechelen.
Notes
Mark McKenzie was absent from the team sheet when Genk faced OH Leuven on the road and lost by a 3-1 score line. The rumors of a transfer away from Belgium are still circulating but the team has yet to announce his departure.
Devon Decorte made the Anderlecht bench when they traveled to take on Royal Antwerp. The 18-year-old American striker is a product of the Philadelphia Union system and joined the Brussels club, playing for the reserves 12 times last season. YA will keep an eye on this youngster and see if he breaks into the first team at such a young age. The game ended 2-1 in favor of Les Mauves but the youngster didn’t get off the bench.