Weak Anderlecht loses again

GAMES Does a defeat by Anderlecht have any news value these days? After all, they lost again, this time with 0-1 against a weak Charleroi. In a weak first half, Purple-White did have dominance, but it simply brought too little. After half-time, Morioka was in the right place to score the 0-1. Anderlecht still had chances to score, but it has a problem scoring (among others). The defining players of last season have left and their replacements are playing at the Futures or are just not good enough, which is also evidenced by their non-existent statistics.


The slowness with which Anderlecht started this match was unfortunately symbolic of entire first half. After ten minutes, Silva and Andreou collided firmly in a header duel after a clever dribble by Duranville. After 22 minutes, there was still something to see. Patron's fingers were then needed to keep a low shot by Vertonghen out of goal. On the corner that followed, Patron responded with a very clever reflex. This time he saved a shot from Ashimeru.

Purple and White's soccer, however, was far too slow and stereotypical to put Charleroi under pressure for long. The Karolos threatened once themselves through a deflected ball from Mbenza. The first half slipped by unremarkably with only Duranville bringing some speed and action to Anderlecht's attacking play. In the closing stages, Silva also shot on goal once. A soporific first half in which Anderlecht created far too little danger. It reminded us of a match on an old FIFA game played by computer.

Immediately after halftime, Purple White did have some bad luck after a corner kick passed to everyone. Then Hoedt was allowed to strike out, but his shot was not clean and hard enough. Just after the hour, Zorgane kicked from distance, but Van Crombrugge was on hand. That was apparently not enough to wake up Purple White. A sea of space on the right and Morioka was in the right place to finish. Anderlecht suddenly had to urgently get going, which is not easy when you play in sleep mode all the time. Silva did get a good shooting chance, but his effort flew over goal. Charleroi survived a brief siege around minute 75 in which a number of shots were somehow kept out of goal. But at the other end Anderlecht also escaped when substitute Badji had a good chance. The game was now moving up and down quickly. Esposito was the next to try, but the Italian finished far too sloppily.

Anderlecht tried, but time was ticking away mercilessly. Even Van Crombrugge went forward in desperation at the end but the three corners were easily defused by Charleroi. So this saltless Anderlecht dives into the right-hand column as a mediocre mid-table team and in the meantime there are still the matches in Europe to come. We should try to enjoy that, because does anyone still believe that this Anderlecht will reach European soccer? On the other hand, points urgently need to follow in the league or Purple and White can already start the new season at the end of April when the Play-offs are played. That is easier said than done with three away games (Mechelen, Zulte Waregem and Standard) and a home game against Club Brugge ahead.

Score: 0-1
Goal(s):0-1 Morioka (64')

Anderlecht:Van Crombrugge, Debast, Hoedt, Vertonghen, Murillo, Duranville (Amuzu 66'), Ashimeru, Arnstad (Esposito 66'), Verschaeren, Refealov (Stroeykens 73'), Silva
Charleroi:Patron, Bager, Andreou, Kayembe (Bessilé 84'), Ilaimaharitra (Marcq 84'), Morioka, Tchatchoua, Zorgane, Hosseinzadeh (Badji 61'), Nkuba (Wasinski 88'), Mbenza (Heymans 88')

Yellow:Ilaimaharitra 4', Arnstad 42', Duranville 45+5', Zorgane 81'
Red:/

Referee: Lothar D'Hondt
Stadium: Lotto Park