The Pro League Yanks both picked up some points, while Coach Shoffner’s Challenger League side claimed all three.
Dender 2 – 2 Westerlo
Both Bryan Reynolds and Griffin Yow were in the starting lineup when Westerlo travelled west to take on league new boys Dender in East Flanders and came away with a point. The left back went the distance, while the young winger put in a 69-minute shift.
Westerlo seems to have forgotten how to win a game, with this one being their seventh in a row where they failed to collect all the points. Their last victory was long ago, back in the first week of October. Against Dender they had the chance to take the lead in the 12th minute after being awarded a penalty, but Isa Sakamoto hit a weak pathetic shot right at the Dender keeper.
It was Dender putting the ball into the back of the net and taking a first half lead in the 40th minute after it looked like a 0-0 upcoming at the intermission. Fabio Ferraro made a half decent cross from the left flank to David Toshevski. The Macedonian controlled the ball, turned his marker, Emin Bayram and fired past Andreas Jungdal between the Gamecocks sticks.
Westerlo found themselves with the ball once again on the penalty spot five minutes after coming back onto the field. Sakamoto knew well enough to stay away this time and watched his Iranian teammate, Allahyar Sayyadmanesh show him how to score from the spot.
The lead only lasted six minutes, thanks to Bruny Nsimba who got a free shot at goal and didn’t miss. But again, a short-lived lead because Nacho Ferri was played through the middle by defender, Arthur Piedfort and the Spanish forward did not miss.
Collecting just one-point leaves Westerlo in the relegation play-off group but it is early days. Next up for them will be a visit from high flying Anderlecht.
Notes
Out with a muscle injury, Marlon Fossey missed Standard Liege’s 1-0 road victory over KV Mechelen on Friday night. Now in eighth place, they’ll travel to Brugge over the weekend to take on 15th place Cercle.
Lierse’s head coach, American Jamath Shoffner led his Challenger League side to a 1-0 victory over the Anderlecht Futures over the weekend. After a rough start to the season, Shoffner has gotten his team into their groove and has taken them so far to 11th place in the 17-team strong second division. Devon De Corte didn’t never got off the bench for the Brussels outfit.
