The Pro League’s regular season came to an end on Sunday with the 16 teams having played 30 games. Now the play-offs are set for the Yanks in Belgium.
Beerschot 1 – 2 Westerlo
With nothing to play for on this last game of the regular season, play they did and the Gamecocks came away with three points to take into the play-offs with them as the two Americans, Griffin Yow and Bryan Reynolds put in very good performances as they both played the 90 minutes. Yow was subbed off however, but that was in the 94th minute and, by the way, he also scored his fourth goal of the season.
After a poor tackle in the Westerlo box, Yow was handed the ball to add to his goal tally but with VAR consulted and a decision hard to come by, the penalty stood and the American converted in the 45+7th minute.
If the penalty was harsh which, according to Beerschot coach and former Dutch international, Dirk Kuyt was rather harsh, karma came into play when in the 71st minute, Tuur Rommens put the ball past his own keeper and got the scored evened out.
Late on, Roman Neustadter accepted the gift off the ball in front of goal and scored probably the easiest goal of his career, giving KV the victory and safety from the relegation zone. In the play-offs, the two Americans will get to meet up once again this season with Marlon Fossey and Standard Liege.
Leuven 3 – 2 Sint Truiden
It was a make or break game for the Canaries of Sint Truiden and unfortunately the pressure got to them and the game ended up in a loss, thereby condemning Kahveh Zahiroleslam and his team to having to complete in the relegation play-offs and fight for their Pro League lives. The American striker came off the bench in the second half and put in a 34-minute shift.
Siebe Schrijvers was the first to find the back of the net and put the hosts ahead after 13 minutes however STVV kept their heads up and just before the intermission they got the equalizer from Adriano Bertaccini.
In the 66th minute Oscar Gil, assisted by Schrijvers, put OHL ahead again. Less than 10 minutes later however Bertaccini again got the Canaries level. A point however would not be good enough but fight as they may, they just could not find the required goal that would move them into the European play-off group. As a matter of fact, at the other end of the field Louis Patris brought down Eze Banzuzi in the box and Schrijvers did the honors.
Zahiroleslam and STVV will now go into the play-offs against Cercle Brugge, Kortrijk and Beerschot to see who will be playing in the second division next season and who will get to stay with the big boys for at least another year. The play-off schedules have not yet been released.
Standard Liege 0 – 0 Antwerp
Having no chance to make it into the championship play-off group, les Rouches still went all out and dominated the middle of the park against Royal Antwerp, who will compete for the Belgian title. Marlon Fossey was in the starting line-up and went the distance, but could not influence the game.
Having lost the two previous games to Anderlecht and USG, Standard gave themselves no chance of a top six spot, instead ending up in seventh but looking good for a spot in next season’s Conference League if they navigate their play-off group well. Their group consists of Mechelen, Westerlo, Charleroi, Leuven and Dender. The schedule should be released soon.
Notes
Kayden Pierre went the distance for the Genk Reserves when they faced Club Brugge’s youngsters and lost that one by a 3-0 score line. The American defender picked up a 50th minute yellow card. Next up they’ll face La Louviere at home.
On loan Justin Che went the distance for Patro Eisden in their 1-0 victory on the road against Lommel. Still eight points from an automatic promotion spot, they’ll next go up against Royal Liege.
Devon De Corte got the nod and played 61 minutes for the Anderlecht Futures as they drew with Seraing in Challenger League action. Next up will be a road trip to take on Zulte Waregem.
