Freed from all pressure and with a modified squad, Antwerp won on Matchday 6 of the Europa League against Olympiakos. Among the players, Michel-Ange Balikwisha will have done well with a goal and a good match. A victory which also means the last match of the season for Antwerp which was already eliminated from the competition and which will be able to devote itself to the championship.
Brian Priske, the Antwerp coach, had decided to give some players some playing time so that they gain confidence.
And some understood it well because from the 7th minute of play, Antwerp opened the scoring. Found in the surface by Manuel Benson, Michel-Ange Balikwiha sees his shot deflected with the head by Cisse who deceives his guardian, Tomas Vaclik. The striker scores his first goal in the Antwerp jacket.
This goal frees Antwerp a little more, which tries to overtake the mark, without succeeding. On the side of Olympiakos, there are few opportunities (Sokratis 10th and M’Vila 18th) and above all do not worry Jean Butez. The Antwerp therefore returned to the locker rooms by leading.
The next 45 minutes are the same as the first 45. The two teams have few chances. The best is to be put on the account of Balikwisha who scores points tonight. In the 62nd, the attacker recovers the ball and tries his luck, in vain.
The score will not change. Antwerp therefore pocketed the victory, the first in the competition. In the ranking, Antwerp therefore finished in 4th place with 5 points behind Fenerbahce (6 pts), Olympiakos (9) and Frankfurt (11). The Germans are directly qualified for the round of 16 as group winner while Olympiakos will have to go through the play-offs with the other second and third group of the Champions League. Fenerbahce is drafted in the Conference League.
