Game Day 4 has come and gone as Zahiroleslam keeps on scoring while Griffin Yow is still playing for Westerlo despite transfer rumors.
Sint-Truiden 3 – 3 Dender
On Saturday night STVV earned their first point of the Pro League season after tasting defeat the first three times out. The point came against newly promoted Dender who have started their top flight season in style with eight out of a possible 12 points, including last week’s 4-1 demolition of Kortrijk.
Kahveh Zahiroleslam, who scored his first goal of the season in the 4-1 loss at home to Charleroi a fortnight ago, was at it again scoring two first half goals after the visitors took a 13th minute lead when Canaries defender Rein Van Helden did a good job at failing to clear the ball from his area. As a matter of fact it fell right at the feet of Roman Kvet and the Czech tucked it away from close range.
The American had a half decent chance just before Kvet’s but he could only nod the ball right into the arms of the Dender keeper. He did however redeem himself in the 22nd minute when he was played through and just beat the offside trap as Joedrick Pupe’s sliding tackle was too late to keep the big striker from firing into the far corner and getting his team back on level terms.
Before the intermission STVV went ahead, thanks to the Californian’s head. After playing a one-two with Ryoya Ogawa, the Japanese defender sent a sublime curling ball into the box that allowed Zahiroleslam to go unchecked and place the ball over the Dender goal line.
Three minutes after the restart however Bruny Nsimba got one back but parity was short lived because in the 53rd minute the Yank turned provider with a long ball on the counter to strike partner Adriano Bertaccini. The Belgian found himself one-on-one with the Dender keeper and easily slotted past Michael Verrips.
The STVV fans could be forgiven for dreaming of three points when the clock showed 90 minutes but a minute into stoppage time Ali Akman headed it home and broke their hearts.
Another home game this coming Sunday will see Union St Gilloise at the Stayen. The Brussels boys narrowly defeated Charleroi on Friday night by a 1-0 scoreline.
Gent 4 – 1 Westerlo
After the best start of the season in the club’s history, Westerlo came crashing back down to earth as they found themselves three goals down just after the half hour mark and ended up on the losing end of their Sunday evening trip to Gent. Bryan Reynolds started and played 77 minutes, while Griffin Yow came off the bench in the 56th minute.
The Buffaloes scored three first half goals in the space of five minutes starting in the 27th minute when Pieter Gerkens struck. Two minutes later Belgian teen Matais Fernandez-Pardo scored his first of the season. Then it was Israeli midfielder Omri Gandelman. The Gamecocks got one back through Allahyar Sayyadmanesh before the break. Mathais Delorge hit the back of the net in the 80th minute to round out the goalfest.
Saturday night Westerlo will host Leuven, who currently sit in the 10th spot.
Kortrijk 1 – 0 Standard Liege
Standard Liege are having trouble getting their season started as they suffered their first loss of the season but have also only one victory along with two draws. With just five points out of a possible nine where they have only managed to score a single goal, things are not looking bright for les Rouches when they traveled across Belgium to the West Flanders town of Kortrijk.
Marlon Fossey was in the starting line up and went the distance but it was the red card shown to Henry Lawrence in the 35th minute that turned the tables as Standard as they held on for most of the game until Thierry Ambrose’s 67th minute net bender.
Now in the 11th spot, Standard will host newcomers Beerschot on Sunday afternoon.
Notes
Anderlecht II, also known as Anderlecht Futures opened their new Challenger League season on Friday night at King Baudouin Stadium, the home of the Belgian national team. Devon DeCorte, who has yet to break into the Anderlecht first team, started for the Futures and went the distance as they lost 4-1 to Deinze. The 18-year-old product of the Philadelphia Union will look to break into the first team this season but until then should be a regular starter with the reserves who play in the Belgian second division.
