Another 0-0 against Antwerp

SUNDAY, 29 JANUARY 2023, 20:44 - lajoya
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GAMES Anderlecht secured another point against Antwerp. It did not play a bad game, but was stranded on its own attacking limitations. It did not create a single real chance in the whole match, despite good will. Verbruggen was needed at the other end though to prevent Antwerp from scoring. After half-time, both Stengs and Raman (twice yellow) were ruled out. An important triptych now awaits Anderlecht with matches against Ostend, STVV and Kortrijk.


Yet a special match for Jan Vertonghen, who played for the first time in Belgium against Toby Alderweireld, his 'partner in crime' with the Red Devils and Tottenham. Anderlecht played a nice first quarter of an hour. After ten minutes, Pacho got the ball against his hand after poor ball control. We have already seen penalties given in past seasons where there was less going on. Then there was also a cross from Dreyer that someone missed with some stature in front of goal. Muja, left all alone, threatened on the opposite side for Antwerp for the first time. 

Nice combination between Ashimeru and Verschaeren in the 18th minute. The Ghanaian went down, but VAR (rightly) did not think it was a penalty. Anderlecht remained the better team, but struggled to get near the penalty area. Just after the half-hour mark, Verschaeren turned a shot from distance half a metre wide of the goal. In the last fifteen minutes, Antwerp took control of the game , but without creating any chances. A solid first half from Anderlecht, albeit without any real chances.

After half-time, newcomer Kerk had a great chance for Antwerp in chipped in after clumsy and unnecessary footy was again played out behind. Verbruggen was able to clear Kerk's effort from the corner. Anderlecht could have been dangerous, but Amuzu's cross was too high. Then twice clever and necessary interventions by Verbruggen. He knocked a place ball from Balikwisha out of goal and then was in time to stop the rebound.

Commotion on the hour. Stengs received direct red for a reaction against Ashimeru in an otherwise fair match. In the skirmish that followed the exclusion, De Laet and Raman saw yellow. Via Dreyer, the most industrious striker after the break, the purple and white controlled a number of corners, but, as is often the case, these were mostly sloppy. Antwerp leaned back with one man less, but Paar-wit had to watch out for the counter-attack.

Fifteen minutes before time, Raman was responsible for the stupidest action of the match. He first lost the ball very easily, but particularly stupid was his reaction to pull Pacho's jersey which of course earned him a second yellow. The balance in terms of men on the pitch had thus been restored. 

Despite Purple-White's brave game, it still had not kicked a single ball inside the box after 80 minutes. In the closing stages, Refaelov for Dreyer and Trebel for a good Diawara were brought off the bench. It would be a brief substitution for the Frenchman who was replaced by Leoni injured a good 10 minutes later. In the added time, De Laet still centrally kicked at Verbruggen and Antwerp got another corner, but the game ended just like the outward game at 0-0.

In itself, Anderlecht cannot complain about the point against team in form Antwerp. It didn't play a bad game in itself, but in the zone of truth, there is a huge lack of quality to give the appropriate assist or to score. Hopefully there will still be reinforcements, because without additional attacking reinforcement(s) (Dreyer played very creditably) the league will be over by the end of April for Anderlecht.

Anderlecht now has to go to Ostend on Friday and, like Seraing, that will be a very important match. This will be followed by matches against STVV and Kortrijk. After that, Purple and White will presumably already have a better idea whether reaching Europe Play-Offs is still possible.

Score: 0-0
Goal(s): /

Anderlecht:Verbruggen, Murillo, Debast, Vertonghen, Sardella, Diawara (Trebel 83') (Leoni 90+2'), Ashimeru, Verschaeren, Amuzu (Stroeykens 80'), Dreyer (Refaelov 83'), Raman
Antwerp:Butez, De Laet, Alderweireld, Pacho, Avila (Nsimba 84'), Stengs, Vermeeren, Muja, Ekkelenkamp, Balikwisha (Scott 73'), Kerk (Bataille 65')

Yellow: 41' Stengs, 50' Muja, 62' De Laet, 62' Raman, 72' Debast, 62' Raman, 90' Ashimeru
Red: 61' Stengs, 75' Raman (2x yellow)

Referee: Erik Lambrechts
Stadium: Lotto Park



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