Anderlecht wins against KV Mechelen

GAMES Anderlecht won 3-1 against KV Mechelen, crowning the beautiful tribute to the birthday boy Paul Van Himst. Purple and white played very solidly before halftime, but it only rewarded itself with a goal by Stroeykens. After halftime, Mechelen started well, but it was Dolberg who doubled the score. Still, Mechelen came back into the game through Storm. In extra time, Amuzu finally took away all doubts with a particularly clever header from long distance. Thus Anderlecht booked six out of six before the international break.


Before the match, the lights went out in the Lotto Park on the occasion of the 80th birthday of Anderlecht icon Paul Van Himst. By the way, it had been ten years since Anderlecht played a home match on a Saturday night.

Anderlecht tried in the early stages through Dolberg (from offside) and Stroeykens (shot wide). Mechelen didn't get into it and Stroeykens deservedly opened the score on the quarter hour with a place ball. After the goal, Anderlecht slowed down. After poor play-offs, Rits was able to try just before the half-hour mark, but a Mechelen leg got in the way. Without really being dangerous, Anderlecht had control of the match. In minute 40, Hazard placed his effort too weakly within the reach of Coucke.

Anderlecht had rewarded itself meagerly after a solid first half in which it combined well at times. After halftime, Dreyer created the first danger with a placing ball to the far post. Schmeichel cleverly anticipated a deep ball from Mechelen. Ball loss just over the half then led to a dangerous shot by Pflücke. Despite Mechelen's better phase, Dolberg pulled the trigger on the opposite side on the hour. The Dane lined up well to work Augustinsson's low cross into goal.

Dreyer tested Coucke's gloves a handful of minutes later with a hard but slightly too central shot. But Anderlecht still made things difficult for themselves again. Storm got too much space a quarter of an hour before time and with some luck the ball swirled into the far corner of the goal.

Anderlecht had to start the closing stages with a narrow lead again. Leoni shot over after a slalom around the penalty area. After Arnstad, Riemer now brought on Vazquez and Amuzu for Dolberg and Hazard. Mechelen again claimed the ball in the closing stages in which for once "only" five minutes of extra time was counted. Played on by Vazquez, Amuzu saw Coucke standing far out of his goal. The striker shot the ball particularly cleverly into the open goal from long range. His attempt had a 3% success rate according to the statistics. In the absolute closing stages, Mrabti hit the side netting for Mechelen, but the six out of six for Anderle was a fact.

A solid win by Anderlecht before the international break. After that, the classico awaits at Standard.

Score: 3-1
Goal(s):1-0 Stroeykens 14', 2-0 Dolberg 60', 2-1 Storm 73', 3-1 Amuzu 90'+3

Anderlecht:Schmeichel, Sardella, Debast, Vertonghen, Augustinsson, Rits, Leoni (Diawara 90'+4), Stroeykens (Arnstad 75'), Hazard (Amuzu 82'), Dreyer (90'+4), Dolberg (Vazquez 82')
KV Mechelen:Coucke, Vanlergberghe (Bates 75'), Walsh (Bolingoli 57', Raemaekers 75'), Cobbaut, Foulon, Konaté (Hairemans 46'), Schoofs, Storm, Pflücke (Van Hecke 75'), Lauberbach, Mrabti

Yellow: Schoofs 27', Leoni 57', Sardella 69', Bates 77', Mrabti 83'
Red:

Referee: Nicolas Laforge
Stadium: Lotto Park

Source: © Internal source