Drafted in-extremis in Division 1A by justice, Waasland-Beveren did not miss his debut in Jupiler Pro League which had to be extended at the last minute to eighteen clubs. Sunday at the conclusion of the 1st of the 34 days of the regular season, the Waeslandiens came to impose 1-3 (half-time 0-1) on the lawn of Courtrai. While the Pro League had relegated him to the green carpet in D1B after the premature end of the 2019-2020 championship due to Covid-19, here is Waasland-Beveren leader (on goal difference) of the Jupiler Pro League. Immediately put under pressure by Yves Vanderhaeghe’s men, the visitors reacted very well to blocks and from the 10th minute, they found the opening via Daan Heymans served by Alessandro Albanese (0-1).
The Flandriens could have equalized from the next minute but the sending of Moffi crashed on the goal post of a very happy Lucas Pirard.
If Kortrijk continued its pressing, Waasland-Beveren took advantage of its rare possibilities of blocks as in the 22nd by Mertens or in the 45th + 3 by the stirring Heymans.
For his part, Pirard did what was necessary, especially in front of Petit Pelé Mboyo (43rd), to preserve his nets. He nevertheless had to turn around in the 54th minute. Faced with the penalty specialist that is Mboyo, the Waeslandian goalkeeper had to admit defeat (1-1). Mboyo did himself justice after a collision of Caufriez in the area.
We thought then that the Kerels had achieved the most difficult and were going to take the ascendancy, but it was on the contrary the “miraculous of the D1A” who took control at the scorer, well helped for the circumstance by a gross error of the Kortrijk goalkeeper Adam Jakubech. The Slovak was surprised by a harmless sending from Koita who had just come into play two minutes earlier (1-2, 68th).
In the 83rd, Schryvers replaced his goalkeeper to preserve the lead of the visitors who managed to increase the score in stoppage time again via Heymans (90th + 1). Nicky Hayen, the new coach of Waasland Beveren, could savor his debut in D1A and its leaders their stubbornness in defending their cause.
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