KV Mechelen beats Sint-Truiden in a seven-goal match

KV Mechelen secured their first Jupiler Pro League win of the season in a chaotic seven-goal encounter against Sint-Truiden at the Achter de Kazerne stadium, according to match reports from DHnet and Walfoot.

First-Half Defensive Collapse and Early Lead

Entering Sunday’s fixture under severe pressure at the bottom of the league standings, Mechelen capitalised on a disastrous first half from the visitors’ backline. DHnet reported that the hosts benefited from two own goals scored by Sint-Truiden defenders Kota Takai in the 24th minute and Shogo Taniguchi in the 39th minute. Simion Michez added a third goal in the 34th minute, leaving Sint-Truiden facing a three-goal deficit before half-time.

Sint-Truiden Response and Second-Half Goals

Despite the early setback, Sint-Truiden mounted a spirited comeback attempt. Walfoot noted that striker Emir Bajdar scored his fifth goal in six league matches just before the interval in the 44th minute to make it 3-1. Ilias Sebaoui then narrowed the gap further early in the second half, scoring in the 48th minute to bring the visitors within one at 3-2.

Any hopes of an complete comeback were quieted when Benito Raman restored Mechelen’s two-goal cushion in the 62nd minute. Although Frederic Soelle Soelle struck again for Sint-Truiden in the 71st minute to make it 4-3, Mechelen held firm through the closing whistle to claim all three points.

Statistical Contrast and Standings Impact

The final match statistics highlighted a significant contrast in how the game unfolded. Walfoot reported that Sint-Truiden finished the fixture with 61 percent possession and registered 14 shots compared to Mechelen’s 7, yet proved vulnerable on the counter-attack against a clinical home side.

With this first victory of the campaign, Mechelen climbed out of the automatic relegation zone. They moved within two points of Sint-Truiden, who suffered their third defeat in the league.