Standard to win the title after 1-0 victory

MONDAY, 25 MAY 2009, 11:01 - D.A.B.
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The season in which Anderlecht celebrated their 100th anniversary has become one of the sadest in the club's history. No European football, no cup and ... no title. Standard beat Anderlecht yesterday with 1-0.


Jacobs changed the formation from the previous match, switching from a 4-3-3 to a 4-4-2. Victor Bernardez was given a start in the right wing which pushed Wasilewski forward. The change was necessitated by the injury sustained by Gillet.

There were early opportunities for Standard, with Jovanovic providing for Dalmat in the 5th minute, but the latter was adjuged offside. The first opportunity for Sporting was when Wasilewski sent a long ball to De Sutter, but it ended up to the hand of Bolat. Later Dalmat was brought down in the 17th minute by Van Damme, but Allaerts called for play to continue.

Disaster struck when a nervous Bernardez brought down Mbokani. The penalty conversion of Witsel meant that Anderlecht needed to score twice in hostile ground to achieve victory. Jacobs turned to a 16 year old striker, Lukaku to provide the spark, however Standard continued to hold out.

However despite the players' best efforts Standard held out in the 15 million euro match, giving them automatic qualification to the group stage of the UEFA Champions League. As mere consolation Anderlecht have to go through the 3rd qualifying phase in order to reach the lucrative UCL.

Score: 1-0
Goals: 39' Witsel 1-0 (pen)

Standard: Bolat, Marcos, Onyewu, Sarr, Mulemo, Dalmat (86' Goreux), Defour, Witsel, Jovanovic, De Camargo, Mbokani
Anderlecht: Schollen, Wasilewski, Juhasz, Bernardez (65' Lukaku), Deschacht (77' Chatelle), Van Damme, Biglia, Polak, Boussoufa, Legear, De Sutter

Yellow: 05' Deschacht, 24' Defour, 26' Biglia, 45' Mulemo, 55' Juhasz, 82' Witsel, 84' Van Damme, 91' Lukaku, 93' Wasilewski
Red: /

Referee: Paul Allaerts
Stadium: Sclessin



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