Antwerp claimed a victory on Saturday afternoon, defeating Charleroi 3–0 at the Bosuil, as reported by Voetbalkrant.com. Goals from Thibault Somers, Porozo, and Rein Van Helden ended a difficult stretch for the hosts, who had managed just one point from their previous matches before the fixture.
Early Goals Shift the Momentum on the Bosuil
The match began with a stark contrast in form, as Charleroi arrived sitting near the top of the standings with 21 points from 24, while Antwerp languished near the bottom with 1/18. Despite the visitors’ strong standing, Antwerp seized control during the opening exchanges. Renders initiated a right-flank attack by overlapping Mejia and delivering a cross that defender Keita failed to clear, allowing Somers to steer a close-range shot off the post and into the goal for a 1–0 lead.
Antwerp doubled its advantage midway through the first half following a video assistant referee review. Referee Wim Smet initially waved away penalty appeals after a challenge involving Nzita and Salah, but upon intervention from the VAR, the official pointed to the spot. Porozo stepped up and converted the penalty to make it 2–0, compounding an already difficult afternoon for the visiting side.
Charleroi Pressing Fails to Breach Nozawa
Trailing by two goals, Charleroi began to assert sustained pressure as the first half drew to a close. Pflücke and Van Den Kerkhof orchestrated attacking sequences down the right channel, testing the Antwerp defense. Right before halftime, Pflücke chested down a long ball into the path of Van Den Kerkhof, whose strike beat goalkeeper Nozawa only to rattle against the goalpost.
Charleroi continued to press after the interval, but any hopes of a comeback were extinguished. Salah delivered a corner to the back post, where Van Helden rose to head the ball precisely into the near corner, stretching Antwerp’s lead to 3–0.
Van Helden and Nozawa Preserve the Clean Sheet
Van Helden proved equally vital on the defensive end as Charleroi poured forward. Following a fluid visiting team move, Van Den Kerkhof slipped a shot past Nozawa, but Van Helden stood ready on the line to clear the ball with a spectacular recovery. Moments later, Scheidler and Nawata both saw scoring opportunities thwarted by the woodwork and Nozawa, who maintained his clean sheet despite late pressure from the visitors.
The 3–0 result lifts Antwerp away from the immediate danger at the foot of the table and into the middle tier of the Jupiler Pro League. Meanwhile, the defeat deals a blow to Charleroi’s aspirations near the summit of the division.
