After 5 match days, Union managed to gain points in the play offs. On the Antwerp field, Union won with a clear 0-3 score. Puertas was the man of the evening with two goals and an assist. For Antwerp, all focus now seems to go to the cup.
Very mediocre first half
Antwerp and Union would meet three times in just two weeks. Twice in the competition and then the cup final follows. Was the first meeting a rehearsal or not? Antwerp certainly did it with Ekkelenkamp instead of Ondrejka and Blessin retained confidence in goalkeeper Moris.
Union came out on top in blue, but could not threaten goalkeeper Lammens in any way. Antwerp then briefly took over command, but had to rely mainly on dribbles from Ejuke to be dangerous. There were, but collectively too little was delivered. During the transition, the Bosuil bounced back several times, but the sloppy play created little danger on goal.
At the end of the first half, Union managed to get close to the Antwerp goal. Rasmussen took a falling ball in front of him and Lammens could only save with a weak hand. He put it right himself by scratching the ball away from Nilsson’s feet.
Puertas brings about a change
So on to the second half, where things quickly improved. After a few minutes, Puertas surprised by kicking a free kick from the side of the box directly towards the goal. Lammens still dived but arrived too late to push the ball out of his goal.
Antwerp barely reacted and ten minutes later was completely on the ropes. Assistant King Amoura guided Amoura through into the back of Alderweireld. The Algerian did not miss the opportunity to score his first of the play-offs and double the lead.
Alderweireld forward
Van Bommel intervened drastically and decided to change the system so that Toby Alderweireld could move forward. This recipe has worked in the past, but more often than not it has not. Blessin responded by introducing the tall Ross Sykes for the slightly shorter legs of Kevin Mac Allister.
However, it did not yield anything for Antwerp. In the final phase, Puertas completed the Union party by putting Castro-Montes’ clever dribble and pass from close range past Lammens for the 0-3 final score.
