GAMES Anderlecht finally picked up a win. They came away from Zulte Waregem with a 4-2 victory, courtesy of a Hazard hat-trick. Despite the four goals, it was no easy evening for the visitors: an enterprising home side fashioned several chances. Anderlecht led 0-3 at half-time, but a sluggish second half remained tense after a quick 1-3 until Hazard restored some calm with 1-4. In added time Zulte Waregem scored once more.
Although Anderlecht went into the break 0-3 up, they were hardly comfortable. Zulte Waregem won most of the duels and repeatedly built attacks. The most dangerous moment early on saw Coosemans have to clear an errant ball off his line with his foot.
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Continue reading Anderlecht also had some bad luck when Bertaccini's effort was ruled out for offside on Camara. While Zulte remained the more threatening side, VAR intervened in Anderlecht's favour. Referee Bert Verbeke pointed to the spot for handball after Saliba's attempt was blocked, and Hazard stepped up to score in the 39th minute — Anderlecht's first goal in four matches and nearly two halves.
Two minutes later the former Zulte player doubled the lead with a powerful, deflected shot from a tight angle after De Cat's persistence. Confidence surged through Anderlecht, and Camara made it 0-3 with a well-placed strike from just outside the box.
Zulte Waregem ignored the scoreline and attacked again after the break, with Ementa pulling one back in the 53rd minute. Just before the hour mark Anderlecht, far too passive, were lucky when Erenbjerg hit the post — a moment that would later prove pivotal.
Anderlecht continued to struggle to keep possession, allowing Zulte to keep probing. Ementa and Claes both came close to making it 2-3, and substitute Kanaté had difficulty with his defensive duties. As the match progressed the home team's waves of attack gradually lost momentum, and with five minutes left Hazard wrapped things up with his third of the night, a sweet strike into the top corner — the first time Anderlecht had been in Zulte's penalty area after the break. In stoppage time Aké converted from a corner at the near post to make it 2-4; Vossen had almost made it 3-4 just before the end.
