On Sunday, RWDM will travel to Anderlecht for the 15th matchday of the Jupiler Pro League. The last time that the team from Molenbeek was able to win in the Constant Vanden Stock Stadium dates back to August 1997 and was very special.
Trainer René Vandereycken had switched from RWDM to Anderlecht in the summer and was allowed to receive his financially troubled former team on the first match day. That went completely wrong for Anderlecht and Vandereycken.
With goals from Alan Haydock and Steve Laeremans, RWDM took the lead. The euphoria among the players and staff is enormous. But while the players are having a party with the fans, it comes to light that RWDM has made one too many changes, including the very young Wesley Sonck.
Veteran Guy Vandersmissen is very disappointed, who heard it in an interview with Frank Raes. Coach Daniël Renders – later an assistant at Anderlecht for many years – falls out of the blue. “I thought I could make 4 substitutions with the goalkeeper, I asked on the bench.”
Referee Luc Huyghe issues a mea culpa. “I should have pointed out that RWDM made its fourth substitution and that was not possible. So the fault lies with me.”
RWDM is in danger of losing its victory, but Anderlecht shows its best side and decides a few days later not to file a complaint. “RWDM can keep its three earned points,” says chairman Roger Vanden Stock. “At Anderlecht we place the ethics of the sport above all else.”
The controversial match ultimately makes no difference in the sporting final settlement. RWDM fell one point short in the relegation battle and dropped – together with Antwerp – from the first division.
Anderlecht – without René Vandereycken, who was dismissed in November – still forced European football to finish in fourth place in the final minute of the final match day.
2023-11-24 11:24:26
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