Griffin Yow picked up an assist over the weekend for Westerlo and so did Devon De Corte for his Anderlecht Futures in Belgian action.
Cercle Brugge 1 – 1 Westerlo
Westerlo were unable to hang onto their first half lead as Cercle Brugge came from a goal down to claim a point later in the game. Griffin Yow was in the starting line-up and provided the assist but Bryan Reynolds was absent from the team sheet.
Isa Sakamoto hit the back of the net after picking up the pass from Yow and slotted it past the Cercle keeper. The hosts thought they got themselves back into the game when Gary Magnée was brought down in the box but when Felipe Augusto took the free kick, he saw his effort saved thus denying parity at the intermission.
With both sides pushing forward, Cercle again had a great opportunity and actually put the ball into the back of the net but after VAR got involved, it was overturned and Westerlo still hung on to their slight lead.
The equalizer came from a cross delivered by Erick Nunes that picked out Alan Minda in the center of the box. The Ecuadorian had only been on the field for five minutes.
The points keeps Westerlo in the 12th spot, just out of the relegation zone but on the same 30 points as Cercle. The Gamecocks have a far superior goal difference. They will hope to cement safety when they visit eighth place Charleroi next.
Standard Liege 1 – 2 Genk
Marlon Fossey was in the starting line-up for les Rouches and went the distance as league leaders Genk picked up another three points at the Sclessin thanks to a couple strikes on either side of the intermission. The hosts attempted a second half come back but failed to capitalize on their chances until very late on.
Ten minutes before the half, Christopher Bonsu Baah found the back of the net after a sweet back heel assist from Konstantinos Karetsas. Toluwalase Arokodare has kept up his excellent poaching and with 73 minutes played, he bagged his 15th of the season.
A few Standard attacks led to nothing; that is until keeper Mike Penders picked up yellow cards in the 89th and 94th minutes. The second was inside his box, so the big Belgian keeper left the field, leaving Genk without a keeper and no substitutes left. Captain and midfielder Bryan Heynen put on the gloves and his first job was to save a penalty. He did but was adjudged to have left his line too early. The re-take by Dennis Eckert Ayensa found the back of the net in the 99th minute to erase the midfielder’s clean sheet.
Fossey spoke to the press post-game and said that “the first half we gave them too many chances, second half we put pressure but we came too late with our attacks. We had chances, but they didn’t go in. The goals that went in for them were also too easy. We had chances, but they just finished theirs.”
Sitting in seventh place, Standard will next go up against Club Brugge on the road.
Notes
Still out of action, Kahveh Zahiroleslam missed out on Sint Truiden’s draw against the Belgian champs, Club Brugge. The Canaries got off to a flying start, taking a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes but Club fought back and snatched a point with a stoppage time equalizer.
The point had little effect and STVV still remain in 14th place. With four games to go, they’re five points from safety but it will be a tough ask. Up next will be a trip to Mechelen.
Kayden Pierre played the full 90 minutes in Genk II’s scoreless draw against Eupen. Next up is a trip to Zulte Waregem.
Devon De Corte came off the bench in the 70th minute and provided an assist as the Anderlecht Futures blew away Lommel by a 5-0 score line. This was the American teen’s first assist as he continues to pick up more minutes for the reserves. Up next will be a long drive to Eupen.
Justin Che and Patro Eisden had the weekend off as they were scheduled to play the now defunct Deinze side. They will be in action on Sunday when they host La Louviere.
