Cercle Brugge Stuns Charleroi: 10-Man Victory!

Despite a hopeful 8 out of 12, Cercle Brugge remained scoreless against Antwerp last week – partly due to Warleson’s early red card. So green, black remained penultimate and there is still justified fear for the Relegation Play-offs. But due to the loss of the red lantern Dender on the Gaverbeek, Cercle was able to do a good thing and move further ahead.

Warleson only received a suspended sentence for his exclusion and was therefore allowed to serve again. Newcomer Geoffrey Kondo disappeared from the team after his debut, but there was a good reason for that. Kondo received his fifth yellow card in his last match at Dunkirk and was therefore also suspended for one match in Belgium. The FFF formally informed the KBVB of this suspension, which means that the KBVB is obliged to actually implement this suspension day. Kakou took his place. Agyekum was back after illness, which meant that Diaby had to go to the bench again and Ngoura also sat there next to newcomers Vanzeir and Herrmann. Oumar Diakité was allowed to start and that was last December when he went to the Africa Cup. Hans Cornelis, captain at Cercle for several years more than 10 years ago, rotated as a precaution in view of the second match in the cup against Union. For example, Nzita was ill, he was replaced by Gaudin. Van Den Kerkhof, Titraoui and Guiagon were given rest and Blum, Khalifi and Colassin were able to take their chance.

Immediately two penalties

Playing with fire is usually the case and it didn’t take long before one of the replacements went wrong. It was Gaudin who took a ball with his forearm and VAR Michiel Allaerts had seen that well and called Bert Put to the screen: a penalty and, just like against KV Mechelen and Union, Gary Magnée was happy to use the job from nine meters. By the way, it was the first goal that the Carolos scored in 2026. The response followed quickly. Michiel Allaerts attracted attention again moments later. Now Hannes Van der Bruggen made a mistake. While handling a ball, he hit the sole of Romsaas’s foot. The result was the same song again, VAR check, put to the screen and penalty on the other side. Scheidler finished the job for Charleroi and after 17 minutes everything could start again with the score level. But Cercle still had the best cards. First there was a threat from Adewumi, but then a long throw from Ravych followed, Pflucke forgot to put pressure and Nazinho took the falling ball on his shoe and kicked in wonderfully: 1-2

Oumar Diakité scores but also gets red

And it got even worse for Charleroi. From zero goals conceded in 2026, there were suddenly three. Once again Nazinho was at the starting line and again Gaudin – he slipped – played a negative supporting role. Oumar Diakité eagerly picked up the ball, played with good control and made it 1-3. But the Ivorian’s joy and good feeling did not last long. He put his studs a little too boldly on Khalifi and Put immediately let him in. The second consecutive time that Cercle was reduced to ten men, it promised to be a long second half. Cinel intervened during half-time and substituted Diop for Diaby. Hans Cornelis also now realized that rotation is usually not a good decision in a balanced competition such as the Jupiler Pro League and brought in his strongmen Guiagon and Titraoui for the second half. You immediately saw the difference. Charleroi played towards the spy head and pressed Cercle with its back on Warleson’s goal.

Guiagon tries, but Allaerts decides

With success, Guiagon first hit the underside of the crossbar, but on the hour mark he was the winner. The equalizer also seemed to be coming, but then suddenly there was VAR again. Romsaas had hindered substitute Ngoura during a corner and Bert Put’s third pass to the screen also resulted in a penalty. Guiagon proposes but Allaert disposes, so to speak. Gary Magnée let it go and also converted his second penalty, even though Delavallee had chosen the right angle. Charleroi did not immediately get off to a good start and after another inspiration from Guiagon, Van Den Kerkhof was able to bring the Zebras closer to 1 point for the third time. But no matter how hard Charleroi tried, the (deserved) goal never came. No more goals were scored in the seven minutes of added time. Twice, Ravych was able to save a ball from the line and reach the end with Cercle with 3-4 on the board.

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