KV Mechelen

Once more no factors for Westerlo towards bogeyman KV Mechelen. In 4 confrontations with Malinois this season, the Gamecocks at all times bit the sand. Bafdili earlier than half-time and comeback child Belghali within the second half gave the guests a 0-2 win.

The capricious Might climate additionally made itself felt in Het Kuipje. Simply earlier than kick-off and after the honoring of the outgoing goalkeeper coach Paul Peeters, the floodgates opened and the turf became a soggy subject. KV Mechelen, which took workplace with out the unwell Elias Cobbaut, tailored finest to the circumstances. Within the examine spherical, the house crew hardly featured within the piece. Within the ninth minute, Sinan Bolat blocked a shot from Patrick Pflücke with impact and three minutes later Bilal Bafdili discovered Bolat. Jordan Bos created the primary Western risk with a header simply after the opening fifteen minutes. The guests remained essentially the most threatening crew: Lauberbach, who had damaged via, collided (actually) with Bolat.

Disallowed objective

For KV Mechelen it was a success in minute 25. Kerim Mrabti discovered Bafdili and he positioned the ball calmly within the left nook. Mrabti himself additionally took an opportunity. After a pleasant transfer he kicked rashly. The house crew had in the meantime restored the steadiness. With a intelligent go, Nicolas Madsen remoted Josimar Alcocer from the visiting goalkeeper Yannick Thoelen. From a troublesome angle, the Costa Rican worldwide couldn’t get previous Thoelen.

Picture: BELGIAN

After Mory Konaté misplaced the ball, the ball lastly got here to Lucas Stassin. The promising worldwide scored within the flip. The enjoyment was short-lived. Matonga Simonini – who ought to have made his top-level debut final week within the match between Customary and Westerlo and made his debut per week late – was known as to the VAR display and disallowed the objective for Stassin’s offside. With a shot that deviated from Bos right into a nook, we recorded the final achievement earlier than half-time.

No penalty

Early within the second half – throughout half-time the U21 champion crew of Westerlo (coach Filip Daems) was honored – there was one other VAR intervention after Bryan Reynolds went down in a duel with Daam Foulon and Simonini merely gave a objective kick. After viewing photos, Simonini didn’t see a penalty in Foulon’s robust sort out. Stassin didn’t discover the opening from shut vary previous a powerful goalkeeping Thoelen. On the opposite facet, Bolat defused an try by captain Rob Schoofs. Substitute Allahyar Sayyadmanesh instantly made himself observed with an acceleration towards the objective line. Konaté labored his punt right into a nook. Lion Lauberbauch missed the chance to make it 0-2. The striker missing confidence deflected Foulon’s good cross sadly extensive. KV Mechelen in flip escaped the equalizer: a free kick from Dogucan Haspolat exploded onto the crossbar.

Mukau and Sayyadmanesh failed to complete. Substitute Rafik Belghali didn’t try this. On September 17 of final 12 months, the best wing defender was out of motion on the Sint-Truiden subject with a critical knee damage. Throughout his comeback, he was effectively adopted when Bolat pushed a shot from the opposite substitute Islam Slimani into his ft. Books closed for the house crew, which stays disconsolately final within the Europe Play-offs. KV Mechelen once more leapfrogs STVV into second place behind chief AA Gent.

Picture: BELGIAN

STVV beat KV Mechelen for the fourth time this season (2-1) and comes within one point of Besnik Hasi’s men. Bertaccini erased ex-Kanarie Konaté’s opening goal with two goals. Place eight remains in sight.

STVV also needed nine minutes to put things right. Koïta got going and soloed through the visitors’ sixteen. Bertaccini gave Koïta a helping hand and scored the equalizer with a deflected ball. Everything is back in balance, against the senses of a deeply displeased Hasi.

Slimani remained the man to watch. On the half hour, the striker should have made it 1-2 after a quick counter-attack. Godeau defended stately against Pflücke, who crossed perfectly to Slimani. The ex-Anderlecht striker’s volley missed the frame, luck for STVV.

Second goal for Bertaccini

Mukau earned a yellow card when he heavily charged Bertaccini, but referee Vermeiren let it pass. Due to the ball advantage, Bocat was able to torpedo Thoelen’s fists, but Bertaccini had to be treated for a few minutes. It did not stop STVV’s winter signing from keeping full pressure on the accelerator. Bocat again came with a good assist from the left, Bertaccini remains a man who scores very easily, he beat Thoelen a second time.

In the injury time of the first half, a certain Rob Schoofs came on strong to level the scores before the change of sides. A good left kick, Suzuki’s save was masterful. Pflücke also came up with a dangerous infiltration, but he missed control. Koïta wanted 3-1 from a free kick, it remained 2-1 until Vermeiren blew before half time.

Cards remain in your pocket

Bertaccini was lurking in the fourth quarter of an hour to score his fifth goal in the STVV shirt. Only attack companion Zahiroleslam was too selfish twice. The duels became more bitter now and then, and it was surprising that referee Vermeiren still kept his cardboard boxes in his pocket. Substitute Bolingoli was even allowed to torpedo Bertaccini against the turf with a half stranglehold.

Ito became more and more invisible in the second half, Fink also felt that he had to come up with substitutions to secure the victory. Bertaccini wanted to continue, but Fink let him rest in favor of Asian Cup winner Yamamoto.

Mechelen barely claimed an equalizer in the last part of the match. STVV still wanted to, but there was hardly any major threat to goalkeeper Thoelen. Only Koïta tried, Thoelen saved with some luck. In injury time Yamamoto also had to take a tough tackle, but it was only Janssens who ran into a card.

With this fourth victory for STVV this season against Mechelen, the Canaries are closing in on one point behind their direct competitor for eighth place. But OHL, opponent of STVV next Friday, is also participating for that eighth place after the surprising victory in the Ghelamco Arena.

STVV: Suzuki – Van Helden, Smets, Godeau – Vanwesemael, Delorge, Ito, Bocat – Bertaccini, Koïta, Zahiroleslam.

KV MECHELEN: Thoelen, Walsh, Garananga, Bates, Foulon, Konaté, Mukau, Schoofs, Pflücke, Mrabti, Slimani.

Replacements: 46′ Walsh by Bolingoli, 72′ Godeau by Janssens, 72′ Zahiroleslam by Kaya, 72′ Bertaccini by Yamamoto, 74′ Slimani by Lauberbach, 74′ Pflücke by Bafdili, 80′ Konaté by Van Hecke, 83′ Ito by Fujita , 91′ Koïta by Okazaki, 95′ Foulon by Asante.

Goals: 9′ Konaté 0-1, 18′ Bertaccini 1-1, 39′ Bertaccini 2-1.

Yellow cards: Janssens (foul), .

Referee: Ken Vermeiren.

Spectators: 3,680. (gus)

Besnik Hasi (52) will leave KV Mechelen after the season. The Kosovo-Belgian coach did not want to reveal anything about his future on Friday, but said that clarity must be provided quickly and has now made the decision.

Hasi took over from Steven Defour in November and managed to get Malinwa playing and winning football again. He kept the club in the first division and can still deliver European football, but will soon be looking for a new challenge.

“The decision was made today so that it is clear for every party and the speculation can come to an end,” KV communicated shortly after the convincing win against OHL. “The club would like to thank Besnik for the great series he achieved and thus ensured that the club could dream. The club will take the time to look for a coach for the new season.”

Hasi: “Hopefully the club shows the right ambition for next season”

The news had already leaked at the final whistle. Hasi had no choice but to inform his players as well. “I did indeed wait until after the match to inform my players about it. Of course I didn’t want to disrupt this match. I had already informed my staff on Friday. I had already made the decision last week, after the match against AA Gent.”

The 3-1 defeat against the Buffaloes was not necessarily the signal for Hasi to make a decision. The coach and his entourage were unable to reach an agreement in negotiations with the board. “We have indeed not found an agreement. I will not go into more detail about what the breaking points were,” Hasi understandably avoided questions about a possible financial issue. “I can also say that it has nothing to do with another club, because there is not one yet. I don’t have any prospects for next season yet,” the coach shut down the rumors surrounding AA Gent.

Hasi is of course still ending his contract with Mechelen. In the last four matches, KV must try to challenge AA Gent in the Europe Play-offs. “My players know me and know that I don’t know the word salad bowls. Moreover, they also have to prove themselves for a new trainer, a new contract or a new club. In any case, I also regret my departure. I enjoyed working here. I want to thank the players, the staff and the fans. I did my job here. Hopefully the club shows the right ambition for next season. Would I have stayed if we had made it to the Champions’ Play-offs? I don’t know,” Hasi concluded.

© Isosport

Three matches in eight days. So rotate, thought coach Hasi, because four changes in the Mechelen starting eleven. Slimani was rested, his replacement at the front was Bassette. Furthermore, Bolingoli, Konaté and Storm left for Pflücke, Mukau and Hairemans respectively. Foulon, who had some hip problems, was still ready for the kick-off. At Standard, coach Leko did not pull any surprises out of the hat.

Instant flares

Things were a bit shabby during the opening phase at the usually fiery Sclessin. Twelve minutes of dead silence from the home supporters in protest against the state of affairs in Liège. One second after twelve, the hard core immediately made itself heard, but in a negative way. Flares on the field, ref Allaerts stopped the game for a moment.

So much for the strange beginning of Standard – KV Mechelen. Bassette had already made the net shake, but his 0-1 was rightly disallowed due to Foulon’s offside in the run-up to the goal. It took half an hour to wait until Standard showed up. Yeboah countered excellently and served Kawabe, but the dutiful Foulon squeezed out an ultimate acceleration to prevent the Japanese from scoring. Not that the level of play also increased, but a little later Standard insisted again. Once again Yeboah was the pointer with a ball backwards, Balikwisha blasted high over goal. Two big chances for the home team, but for Malinwa it was a weak shot from Hairemans. Would someone want to light the fuse in the second half – on the field that is?

Cobbaut saves on the line

The Rouches also started the second half best. Balikiwisha kicked from outside the box, but did not get past Coucke. Before halftime, the KV goalie also reacted alertly in a pinball phase after a shot from Kanga, but now he had to make his first real save. The people of Mechelen thought nothing better than to send Bassette deep in vain, while Standard did create a concrete goal threat. A shot from Kawabe was stopped by Cobbaut’s leg, a little later Coucke’s fists stopped a breakaway shot from the Japanese.

The save of the match was yet to come. Not by Coucke, but by Cobbaut, who turned Kanga’s ball off the line. The Standard striker previously headed into the hands of Coucke. Just to say that the danger came from one side.

Six-point gap with AA Gent

By bringing Slimani, Storm and Walsh for Bassette, Hairemans and Pflücke, Hasi still wanted to mean something offensively. But little came of that. Perica was almost dangerous for the people of Liège, but that was beyond Bates’s calculations.

Thus the match ended in a draw. Given the course of the match, they certainly cannot complain about that result at Malinwa, but the last European ticket now seems very far away. Due to the Ghent victory over Stayen (0-2), the gap between KV and the Buffaloes already amounts to six points. With five games to go, nothing has been lost yet, but the Kakkers will have to do better than in Liège on Tuesday evening.