Anderlecht lost points in-house against PhD student Oud-Heverlee Leuven. The Purple & White went into the dressing room with a flattered double lead, but OHL came alongside after the break. Both teams went full for the victory: Anderlecht saw a penalty disappear after intervention of the VAR, on the other side a shot by newcomer Tamari hit the post.
Anderlecht – OH Leuven in a nutshell:
- Key moment: Taking a 2-0 lead shortly before half-time is a dream scenario for every team. Unless of course you give away that bonus in a gift box shortly after the break. Duplus’s connection goal was the start of a handsome Leuven remonte.
- Man of the match: Mathieu Maertens played his 100th game for OH Leuven tonight, but strangely enough he only came into action for the first time on the field of Anderlecht. He gave his special match extra shine with the handsome equalizer.
- Remarkable: Giving away a lead, it remains a bad habit at Anderlecht. Earlier this season, the Purple & White played the same against KV Mechelen and at home against Mouscron and Eupen.
Verschaeren and Tau show the way to Anderlecht
After the sobering defeat against Club Brugge, Vincent Kompany got the broom through his starting team with no less than 5 changes. Newcomers Josh Cullen and Matt Miazga were immediately dropped into the base.
In any case, the redesigned Anderlecht started the match eagerly. Nmecha immediately started looking for his first field goal for the Purple & White, but decided just wide. Nevertheless, the danger gradually came from the visitors, with Mercier as the big engine.
Anderlecht managed to get away with the dangerous counters of the visitors a number of times. It mainly resulted in a series of corner kicks, but few attempts within the target frame. When that did succeed for Sowah, Van Crombrugge went down well.
Just when the 0-1 went in the air, Anderlecht struck. After a nice attack, Murillo brought the ball low in front of goal and there Verschaeren fired the opening goal unstoppable. Just before half-time it was again hit for the home team. Star Michailitsjenko found the head of Tau and he worked the 2-0 past Romo.
The Purple & White relinquishes the lead again
An ideal scenario for Anderlecht, but shortly after the break the dark clouds gathered again above the Lotto Park. Tau headed a Mercier free kick clumsy centrally in front of goal into Duplus’s feet. He gratefully accepted the gift and brought OHL back into the game from close by.
At the hour a debatable phase in the sixteen of Anderlecht. Kotysch kicked the ball against Nmecha’s arm. Penalty, they found at OHL. No penalty, according to referee Van Driessche. OHL nevertheless continued to go for it, but Mercier, Sowah and Henry collided with Van Crombrugge.
Fifteen minutes before the end, Anderlecht came close to 3-1 on a corner. Romo parried a header from Murillo and in the retake, the Panamanian failed to decide the game. A painful miss that took Anderlecht sour shortly before the end. A deviated shot from Maertens left Van Crombrugge without a chance: 2-2.
A few minutes later, Anderlecht regained hope when Tshimanga committed on a cross from Tau in the sixteen hands. Van Driessche pointed resolutely to the dot, but returned to his decision after viewing the images. Bad luck for Anderlecht and it almost got worse for the home team in extra time, but a nice shot by Tamari hit the post.
- 90+8′
- 90+7′
- 90+7′
- 90+5′
- 90+5′
- 90+2′
- 90+2′
- 90+1′
- 90+1′
- 89′
