GAMES In a surprising turn of events, Anderlecht has failed to secure a place in the third qualifying round of the Europa League, losing 2-1 in the second leg against Häcken after a 1-0 victory in the first match. The Swedish team triumphed in the penalty shootout, leaving Anderlecht's hopes for European competition dashed.
The match began poorly for Anderlecht, who struggled to find their rhythm in the first half. Despite Häcken's recent 1-6 defeat in the league, they capitalized on a well-executed counterattack to score the opening goal shortly before halftime.
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Continue reading Anderlecht coach Hasi responded with a double substitution, bringing on two fresh players in an attempt to shift momentum. Newcomer Saliba and youngster Vroninks were taken off after just 38 minutes.
The second half offered a glimmer of hope for Anderlecht as Dolberg converted a penalty awarded after a VAR review, leveling the score at 1-1. Anderlecht now had control over the match. However, Anderlecht escaped, avoiding another penalty when a handball was overturned by the VAR.
As the match approached its conclusion, an unnecessary foul in the box led to another penalty for Häcken, which Gustafson successfully converted, putting them ahead 2-1.
Extra time saw little action, with Anderlecht's chances dwindling, culminating in a red card for Kanaté. The match proceeded to penalties, where Anderlecht scored twice but missed two crucial attempts (Augustinsson on the crossbar and Vazquez with a saved weak attempt), while Häcken converted all four of theirs, sealing Anderlecht's fate. With the final score at 2-1 (4-2 on penalties), Anderlecht's exit from the Europa League leaves them with the consolation of the Conference League qualifying rounds still ahead.
