- 40′ – Goal – Michael Frey (2 – 1)
- 38′ – Doelpunt – Radja Nainggolan (1 – 1)
- 29′ – Geel – Kristiyan Malinov
- 27′ – Doelpunt – Nachon Nsingi (0-1)
- 24′ – Geel – Radja Nainggolan
- 90′ – Geel – Alhassan Yusuf
- 89′ – Verv. Raphael Holzhauser by Joao Gamboa
- 89′ – Verv. Dylan Ouédraogo from Pierre Yves Ngawa
- 88′ – Cont. Radja Nainggolan by Birger Verstraete
- 88′ – Cont. Michel Ange Balikwisha by Viktor Fischer
- 82′ – Goal – Michel Ange Balikwisha (4 – 2)
- 74′ – Verv. Koji Miyoshi by Anthony Valencia
- 74′ – Cont. Michael Frey by Vincent Janssen
- 71′ – Goal – Michel Ange Balikwisha (3 – 2)
- 68′ – Verv. Nachon Nsingi by Mykola Kukharevych
- 58′ – Verv. Kristiyan Malinov door Hamza Mendyl
- 58′ – Verv. Jón Dagur Thorsteinsson door Joren Dom
- 55′ – Goal – Louis Patris (2 – 2)
Jupiler Pro League
The Tawny Owl’s standing ovation went to Michel Balikwisha. With two goals in the final phase, the outstanding Antwerp shot to the leading position. OHL nevertheless defended itself firmly in the spectacular duel, but went down 4-2.
Antwerp-OHL in short:
- Key moment: OHL hardly ran into problems after Patris’ 2-2. Until Balikwisha disbanded his devils.
- Man of the Match: Michel-Ange Balikwisha sticks in the shape of his life. With two goals deep in the second half, he was once again vital for Antwerp.
- Remarkable: After three matchdays, Antwerp is still the only team with the maximum of points. The leader puts rival Club Brugge on 5 points.
Up and over for the rest
In the game between the two undefeated leaders, OHL started the best. Al-Tamari came close to the opening goal twice, but first went in front and then, via Pacho, on the crossbar.
Antwerp had been warned, but did not really respond. Just before half an hour, it had to be chased when Nsingi made it 0-1 after a quick counter punch through Alderweireld’s legs.
The answer from the home team came almost immediately. Ten minutes later everything was redone thanks to Nainggolan. Balikwisha stepped well over the ball and the turmoil slid into the far corner with his left.
Before halftime, Frey put things in order with a shot from the turn: 2-1.
Balikwisha finishes it
After the interruption, Antwerp started the best, but it was OHL that scored. On a perfect corner from Holzhauser, Patris towered over everyone to make it 2-2 after ten minutes.
After the equalizer, the visitors held their ground quite easily, but in the last 20 minutes the spring broke during the Great Balikwisha Show.
First he detonated the Tawny Owl with a ticker from close by, after which he decided the game ten minutes before time after a beautiful individual action. In between, the young Belgian also aimed a shot hard at the post.
He was taken to the side after the 4-2 to loud applause. Antwerp is the only one to have 9 out of 9 after 3 match days, making it the proud leader in the Jupiler Pro League.
- Michel-Ange Balikisha: “I’ve been working hard lately, as has the whole team. I hope we can continue on this path. After my first goal, I had a little more confidence and kept trying. I’m very happy.”
- Ritchie DeLaet: “Actually, we had everything under control, but that doesn’t show from the score. We managed to kill the game and that didn’t really work last year.”
- Ewoud Pletinckx: “We take the lead here and showed afterwards in the match that there was a bit more in it. But we were sometimes too sloppy and Antwerp has that individual class to finish it. Our way of playing football is not obvious, but we train there. We’re going to keep trying, even if it’s against a good team, so we’re going to do it also against Club Brugge.”
- Urgent Mark: “This is a justified defeat. The pace at Antwerp was higher and there was more power and urge to the front. We were able to take over now and then, but not enough to claim points. My players continued to believe in it and we had to We didn’t come to get our points either. It’s no shame to lose here against a team that trains at European level. We must have the courage to recognize our superior. Playing the football away? A “work in progress”. Sometimes it was good, sometimes it was clumsy .”
- Mark van Bommel: “It is a coincidence that after three games we are only leader. That just means that the competition is very difficult. Today the fans have enjoyed our way of playing, I think. We are in a difficult series of matches and my boys have They performed their duties with dedication They also made the right choices and we had plenty of finished chances This was our best match so far Balikwisha I always say I can’t make anyone better individually but the team If the team is better If you play football, you will also benefit as an individual.”
