Challenger Pro League – matchday 20 – 17/01/26 – 20:02
With new signing Radja Nainggolan immediately in the starting line-up, Patro Eisden recorded a nice victory in the play-off battle in the second division: it entered the top 6 with a deserved 1-0 win against Kortrijk, which saw its title ambitions curtailed. Rousseau made his 9th of the season.
Yesterday afternoon, the transfer of Radja Nainggolan from Lokeren to Patro Eisden Maasmechelen was officially completed, tonight the 37-year-old was immediately in the starting line-up for number 7 of the Challenger Pro League.
And he immediately showed his value, he provided his new team with the necessary peace of mind on the ball. And on the hour mark with a dangerous shot from 25 meters.
Kortrijk did not play at the level of a champion team tonight. The first fifteen minutes and a few early minutes of the second half were in favor of the visitors, but then the home team quickly took over and had the better of the game.
This resulted in a lot of shots from the second line, with 20-year-old KVK keeper De Vlaminck being the best visitor.
After the hour, captain Renson broke the ban, but the linesman raised his flag: offside.
Fifteen minutes before the end the deserved 1-0 came: Rousseau reacted wittily to a long throw-in for his 9th of the season.
Nainggolan lasted 85 minutes, but then cramps appeared. He was escorted to the sidelines by the home fans with a standing ovation.
Kortrijk had a final offensive in store and Dejaegere and Lambert could almost have scored the equalizer. But Patro took the 3 points and is now 6th. Numbers 3 to 6 play play-offs.
Léandro Rousseau made his 9th of the season.
Leader Beveren wins at Eupen
Kortrijk remains second, but sees leader Beveren lead by 9 points. Beveren won 1-2 on the field of number 5 Eupen. The visitors were the better team before half-time, which resulted in goals from Mertens and Abrahams. After the break, Delaurier-Chaubet scored the tying goal, but Eupen did not hit anything else.
