Cup adventure ends against 10 Union players

GAMES No semifinals of the Cup of Belgium for Anderlecht. This evening Anderlecht lost for the eighth time in a row against Union, who played an hour with one man less. It became 2-1, in a match which was also stopped for a while due to misbehavior of some guys in the Anderlecht box.

The initial phase of the match was clearly for Union. The league leader pressed Anderlecht against their own goal. After eight minutes, Schmeichel played the ball pardonably into Sadiki's feet, but fortunately Rits was back just in time to slide the drop away before the line.

Midway through the first half, Union climbed over-deservedly into the lead. An omnipresent Sadiki flashed past Bouchouari along the sideline, cut back and served Lapoussin with a tailored cross. Lapoussin kicked in a single shot into the far corner past Schmeichel, who was nailed to the ground.

On the half-hour mark, Anderlecht finally broke free. Via Leoni and Hazard, Dolberg was able to storm alone toward goal. The striker was able to avoid a first attempt to foul Burgess, but Mac Allister managed to bring Dolberg down: red for the Argentine defender and Union with ten. Dreyter kicked the free kick into the wall from inside the half.

With one more man, Anderlecht played more soccer on Union's half. Verschaeren, Augustinsson and Dreyer went their chance, but without success. Dolberg was too surprised at a through pass from Bouchouari.
Both teams started the second half with the same players.The first big chance was for Dreyer, but Moris saved handsomely.Hazard kicked the rebound wildly over.Anderlecht pushed Union into their own sixteen, but coach Blessin's boys felt very comfortable there: every ball was expertly deflected. On a rare counterattack, Debast tapped Rodriguez.After VAR intervention, Rodriguez himself converted the eleven-meter:2-0 for Union.After the goal, Riemer threw his extra offensive assets onto the field one by one. It didn't yield much, however. Anderlecht kept knitting and pumping long balls in the direction of Burgess and co. Once Vertonghen surprised with a great through ball. Vazquez controlled and turned well, but then popped over. At the other end, Leysen came close to making it 3-0. He was all alone, but headed just wide.

Fifteen minutes before time, the dummies were dancing. A miscreant in the Anderlecht team found it necessary to throw a beer mug in the direction of Union goalkeeper Moris. Several others followed and the game was stopped. After the resumption, Anderlecht kept looking for that goal. In the 94' minute, with a stroke of luck, the ball landed at the feet of Dreyer, who curled it beautifully into the upper left corner.

The equalizer did not come and so Anderlecht lost for the eighth time in a row against Union and the cup adventure is over. Sunday follows another game against Union, then at home and for the league.Moreover, Union can then count on striker Amoura and probably also on playmaker Puertas.

Score: 2-1
Goal(s): 26' Lapoussin (1-0), 62' Rodriguez (2-0, pen.), 90+4' Dreyer (2-1)

Union:Moris, Mac Allister, Burgess, Sykes, Castro-Montes, Sadiki, Vanhoutte, Lapoussin, Rasmussen, Rodriguez (84' Kabangu), Nilsson (57' Leysen)
Anderlecht:Schmeichel, Bouchouari (63' Vazquez), Debast, Vertonghen, Augustinsson (76' Degreef), Rits (70' Stroeykens), Leoni, Verschaeren, Dreyer, Dolberg, HazardYellow: 24' Leoni, 53' Rits, 53' Burgess, 90+10' Moris
Red: 32' Mac Allister

Referee: Lothar D'Hondt
Stadium: Dudenpark

Source: © Internal source