Remarkable: As if we were watching a rerun. Both the first and the second goal, the goalkeepers cannot clamp a shot from the second line. Seasonal revelation Rabbi Matondo and ex-Cercle player Mathieu Maertens benefited in the same way.
Key moment: Brush brush again. OH Leuven got a cold shower in the first half. But at the hour it was Cercle that shivered. In four minutes, the home team went up and over Cercle via Sory Kaba and Musa Tamari.
Man of the match: Sory Kaba ushered in the remontada. The OH Leuven striker is in top form after his trip to the Africa Cup. He didn’t get a lot of playing minutes there, but apparently he got a personalized training schedule in his suitcase. That paid off again today. In addition to his 10th goal of the season, he provided a lot of depth to the home team.
Rankings: Both Cercle Brugge and OH Leuven clambered out of the relegation swamp after a missed start to the season. Both teams played today with a Europe play-off ticket in mind. OH Leuven moves to a provisional top 8 place with the victory over Cercle Brugge.
OH Leuven was teased this week by the KV Mechelen saga. But on the field, Marc Brys’ team did not behave like a victim in the least. The home team found the ideal sparring partner in Cercle Brugge for a physical battle of attrition.
But surpassing Cercle Brugge on energy is not child’s play.
It was therefore the Association that first gave its supporters an electric shock. Rabbi Matondo took advantage of a released ball from OHL goalkeeper Runarsson and quickly gave Cercle a view of an imminent top 8 spot.
But OHL also wants to get a Europe play-off ticket. Even though that dream drowned in an ice-cold shower just before half-time. Ex-Cercle’s Mathieu Maertens scored in identical fashion to Matondo, but two minutes later he saw Cercle forward Kevin Denkey wipe the hard-fought lead off the board again.
Fortunately, OH Leuven can count on its dangerous trident in the front in recent weeks. Sory Kaba rediscovered his torin instinct at the Africa Cup and gave it again today. The Guinean headed in the equalizer on the hour. Four minutes later, Musa Tamari finalized the remontada.
Up and over. The discharge at Brys and co was enormous. OH Leuven gets nine out of nine and jumps over Cercle Brugge to a provisional top 8 place. The battle on the field has been won.
Marc Brys, trainer of OH Leuven: “It was to be expected that it would be a hard-fought battle. With us it was actually the intention to play out of the game, but after the goals you have to force something. In the end we were able to play football together and so on. we still climbed over Cercle. Now we have to be able to continue this line in a very difficult program. We will sell our skin dearly.”
Hannes Van der Bruggen, captain of Cercle Brugge: “We had control and gave away few opportunities. But they were able to take advantage of mistakes with us. It is a shame that we gave up a lead twice. We are physically among the best teams in the country. we are learning with our young team.”
