Club YLA wins nerve-wracking cup final after penalties, OH Leuven is left empty-handed again

Club YLA has won the Belgian Cup for the first time in club history. Club only settled with OH Leuven after penalties. After 120 minutes, a balanced match at Den Dreef ended 1-1. Club didn’t miss a penalty and won the penalty shootout 2-4.

Goals:

45+2′: Saar Janssen (1-0)
63′: Caitlin Lievens (1-1)

More than 120 minutes of football, 2 goals and 8 penalties were needed to determine who could place the Belgian Cup in the empty trophy cabinet for the first time.

And perhaps no one expected that it would be underdog Club Brugge.

Because OH Leuven had the mental advantage: a better ranking in the Women Super League and a cup final at home.

OH Leuven also started the match best and was able to take the lead after 10 minutes, but Kuijpers shot at the Club goalkeeper from close range and Van Dijk kicked the rebound over. Zomers also did not find the way to goal with her header, but it did reach it.

Club YLA survived the OHL rush and was in wait themselves. Vanmechelen almost had a free way to goal after half an hour after OHL goalkeeper Lammertijn fluttered on a long ball. Only offside prevented the match from turning.

After a more difficult period, OHL still had an offensive in house just before the end of the first half. Club goalkeeper Covent felt, for a moment, that she was truly unbeatable after Zomers’ attempts and Detruyer’s beautiful curl.

Ultimately, she had to give in to a deflected shot from Janssen that swirled over her and into the goal. 1-0 on the stroke of half time. A good scenario for OHL.

OHL relinquished the lead itself

But Leuven refused to make good ideal at the start of the second half. After a flash from Saar Janssens, the ball fell to Biesmans, who placed it high over the goal from close range.

There was still no problem and yet Leuven’s defense completely handed over the match. They dawdled and made mistakes, Lievens got the ball in his feet and did not hesitate to score the equalizer.

A blow from which Leuven had to recover, an extra motivation for Club to maintain the equal score and perhaps even increase it. There were no more real chances, both teams dragged themselves to the end of regular playing time.

Covent and Bouteibi cup heroines

Despite a brief interlude, the barrels remained empty and energy levels low in extra time. Everything was in balance, the only clear thing was: penalties had to determine who could raise the cup.

The decision would be made on the side where the Leuven supporters were sitting. And that doesn’t always turn out to be an advantage.

Because Nikée Van Dijk started the penalty series with a false never, her weak penalty almost just rolled into the arms of Covent. And four penalties later, Mertens committed the same mistake.

Club YLA remained clear. Bouteibi kept her cool and once again crowned herself the absolute cup heroine for the people of Bruges by putting the decisive penalty into the goal slowly, but well placed.

Tears flowed on both sides, one of happiness, the other of sadness. Third time, good time for Club YLA, which can take home a trophy for the first time in club history.

Oud-Heverlee Leuven is once again suffering from a serious hangover. If it does not want to remain prizeless, all hope now shifts to the equally exciting title race.

OHL coach Coenraets: “We gave it away ourselves”

Jimmy Coenraets (coach OHL): “It’s very sad. Especially because you miss two open opportunities, don’t take advantage of your moments and give it as a gift. We weren’t sharp on Saturday, after putting everything together I thought it would be today, but that was not the case. It’s a shame, not many words can describe the feeling. It’s not allowed this way. The focus is suddenly different. We are already working on Saturday demand more maturity and we have to show that in such matches, but we haven’t done that. The ladies have taken responsibility in the penalty shootout. You know it’s a lottery, so we shouldn’t put it on that just a positive for us. Hopefully it’s a wake-up call.”

Marie Detruyer: “Should have finished it for penalties”

Marie Detruyer (OHL): “It’s really shitty, to say the least. We had to go 100% for this match and we didn’t succeed. We’ll meet tomorrow, the matches will come again soon, so we have to be ready for that. Everyone was in the penalty kicks, although nerves can never completely disappear. We should have finished before those penalties. Maybe this can be a boost, that we go 200% instead of 100% one cup left. And Leuven deserves a prize. The medal will one day find a place in my cupboard, but I will leave it aside for now.”

OH Leuven – Club Brugge

END: Club YLA wins the cup on penalties!

Bouteibi crowns herself an absolute cup heroine. She kicks the winning penalty slowly, but well placed past Lammertijn.

Club YLA wins its first prize in history. Tears flow on both sides. Of happiness with blue-black, of disappointment with white-green-red.

Mertens misses!

Zenia Mertens kicks her penalty exactly the same as Van Dijk. Poor and bad. Covent takes.

2-3

Vanmechelen sends Lammertijn in the other direction and slides the 2-3 into the goal.

2-2

Veefkind also does not hesitate and stays on the same side with her kick. She makes it 2-2.

1-2

Martlé delivers an almost exact copy of Biesmans’ penalty. She scores. Club at 1-2!

1-1

Biesmans confirms her good match with an excellent penalty. Covent has dived to the right side, but she puts the ball well in the corner.

0-1

Celien Guns doesn’t miss, she gives Club YLA the lead for the first time in the match.

Van Dijk misses!

A fake strat for OHL. Nikée Van Dijk delivers a very mediocre penalty. No problem for Covent to pick up the shot.

There was a toss for one side. The penalty kicks are given on the side where the Leuven supporters are sitting. OHL therefore has a slight mental advantage over Club.

Last chance for OHL is also not possible

END: OHL 1-1 Club YLA

120+2′: Sterre Gielen commits a foul in an interesting place. Well enforced by Emma Priem. And so a last chance for Leuven.

The free kick is cleared by Bouteibi, but the falling ball is for Van Dijk. She hits, Abrahamsson gets that shot straight into the stomach. The signal for the referee to blow the whistle for the end of the match.

118′: The minutes are almost complete. Veefkind gives away another corner kick. A turn-in and we know that those from the foot of Vanmechelen are dangerous. The corner kick is cleared at the second post.

116′: Lammertijn has no anxious memories of the equalizer, because she is now very calm when playing away. Bouteibi is almost there, but the OHL goalkeeper remains icy calm.

115′: Angel Kerkhove has completely exhausted himself. Chionne Bonny takes her place.