Anderlecht again failed to win. OHL turned a 2-0 deficit to 2-2. There was discussion again. Why was the penalty after hand play by Tshimanga canceled in the final phase? In any case, Purple & White is lagging behind with 14 out of 27.
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Marco Kana’s nickname at Anderlecht is De Professor. Since this school year, the teenager has been studying Applied Economics at the University of Brussels. In other words, it’s the brightest of the bunch. At least on the field, because in the Purple & White dug-out there is another one with a high IQ. Vincent Kompany had once again devised a new plan against OH Leuven. In possession, Anderlecht started to play with three in the back and Kana dropped from midfield to the heart of the defense. This allowed De Professor to divide the game and move the two backs high. Only once did that work perfectly, because Kana is now once more refined than Vranjes. He sent a long ball into the corner. Via Tau, the leather came to Murillo and Verschaeren hit his cross hard: 1-0.
Crazy Malinov
That goal came at an unexpected moment. Leuven had just grabbed Purple & White by the throat for over ten minutes. The visitors played football much faster and Mercier threw passes in the back of the defense, but without result. Anderlecht played with five new players compared to the 3-0 defeat in Bruges and had to search. Newcomer Miazga tried to steer the defense, but sometimes had to rake. The other acquisition – Josh Cullen – ran into some gaps, but was certainly not the finest or the fastest. Of course there were no automatisms yet. That is simply not possible, because in 9 games Kompany – due to all kinds of circumstances – already set up 28 players.
Vince The Prince invariably opts for the men in shape, but then we really don’t know what to think of Landry Dimata. He started again as a deep striker and sometimes he dropped out well, but just as often we were annoyed by him. He had clearly made his hugging contact from OHL member Malinov. He kept looking for contact and then lay down. Annoying.
Even though that Kristiyan Malinov was also crazy. He already took yellow after 7 minutes and then kept making clumsy mistakes. Ref Bram Van Driessche could have drawn three more times yellow, but the Bulgarian always escaped in a miraculous way. Coach Marc Brys got gray hair, although he does not notice that.
You can see the grimacing grimaces in the trainer, which he drew when Mathieu Maertens played a bad horizontal ball. The high backs paid off. Mykhaylichenko intercepted the pass and Percy Tau headed in the 2-0. In Kompany’s new concept, Tau, Nmecha and Verschaeren had to move quickly together. That did not go so smoothly, but with some luck and efficiency it was 2-0 at half time.
Penalty or not?
And suddenly Anderlecht was three points from first place. Punishment, but then they had to keep that lead. That is not their specialty. Certainly not against an opponent who is strong on stationary phases. That soon became apparent. In a free kick, Tau headed into the feet of Duplus and there was immediately the connection goal.
At such moments you can see the nervousness at RSCA. Kompany brought in Zulj for Dimata, but you will not play football with a midfield Zulj-Cullen more sharply. The visitors kept insisting and when the ball dropped, Maertens fired hard into the square with his outside. Deserved. The home team had had no more opportunities on a good chance from the strong Murillo.
But the discussion ended. Percy Tau ran off the flank one more time. Tshimanga tackled and unconsciously deviated the leather by hand. Ref Van Driessche immediately pointed to the dot. The ball changed direction, the hand was not against the body … All kinds of criteria, but the video ref called him to the screen and the penalty kick was canceled. All well and good, but why was it a penalty during Standard-Club? The whole football world wondered that. Anderlecht was disappointed and finally escaped defeat when OHL hit the post.
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