RWDM can start shivering again: Molenbeek residents in dirty papers after defeat against Charleroi (Jupiler Pro League)

RWDM could have already definitively relinquished KV Kortrijk and KAS Eupen last week. It didn’t, which kept it exciting. It seemed as if the supporters were collectively calculating before the match what their club still had to do to be sure of fourteenth place, because when club legend Anthony Cabeke was feted for his player farewell, the stadium announcer had to repeat his call for applause a few times. to repeat, even to the point of embarrassment – although Cabeke and mascot Foxy had not yet reached the L’Ecluse stand at that time.

Was RWDM goalkeeper Guillaume Hubert also counting when Achraf Dari fired a long shot towards his goal in the seventh minute? His shot was certainly sustainable for Hubert, who was given plenty of opportunity by Yannick Ferrera in the Relegation Play-offs and made a mistake for the first time. Charleroi had an early lead, after having spent the first few minutes of the match mainly engaged in a study round – which included a lightning-fast rush from Antoine Bernier.

Combine easily

In the following minutes it was mainly about… substitutions. Tayo Adaramola had to leave after fifteen minutes. Not because of poor sporting performances, such as against Anderlecht under Bruno Irles, but because of contact with Jeremy Petris. In his place came Ilay Camara, who, like Xavier Mercier, had moved to the bench in favor of Mickaël Biron and starting debutant Matías Segovia. That is one substitution more than Charleroi, where Rik De Mil was forced to replace the injured Adem Zorgane for Ryota Morioka. In terms of substitutions in the first half, it soon became the same: shortly after Adaramola’s substitution, goal scorer Dari also seemed to have to stop the fight, then it seemed as if goalkeeper Hervé Koffi was taking care of himself after Biron had wrested the ball from him. but in the end it was Dari. Jonas Bager took his place.

We would almost forget that football was also being played in the meantime. Between the substitutions of Adaramola and Dari, Vetle Dragsnes was excellently positioned to score the 0-2, but the Norwegian did not convert Parfait Guiagon’s cross. The 0-2 seemed closer than the 1-1, because Charleroi was then able to combine smoothly in RWDM’s sixteen. The Molenbeek team set up a counter shortly before the half hour mark, but Biron’s cross was easily cleared by Morioka, who just had to put his foot out.

Switch match

RWDM was again not at the meeting in the first half. If the damage against Kortrijk last week was limited after Nayel Mehssatou’s relatively early opening goal – the score remained 0-1 -, this time the Hainaut team caused irreparable damage quite quickly. The 0-2 was scored by Dragsnes on a pass from… Guiagon – where have we seen that before -, a few minutes later Guiagon himself shook the net after an assist from Oday Dabbagh. RWDM immediately hit the canvas, even with the football that the Ferrera boys brought to the mat in the second half last week, this seemed to be a very difficult job.

And yet: just before half-time, the home team tried to salvage the match somewhat. Camara’s long shot was good, as was Koffi’s save. In injury time, Gueye set up an excellent counter after Morioka lost the ball in midfield and Carlos Alberto seemed to push in the 1-3, but the ball did not go in. From the stands it initially looked as if something was sticking out of the ground, but the images showed how Koffi was first there with his hand and then successfully removed Dragnes.

So it remained 0-3. In the competition substitutions in the first half RWDM took the lead again in injury time after Jeff Reine-Adélaïde hit a ball hard in the face. Romildo Del Piage, who had only played for the Molenbeek team for more than one half in the Belgian Cup, was actually dusted off again.

Brazilian substitute

It was not so long ago that RWDM scored three goals in a short time – Kortrijk away, two weeks ago -, so Charleroi quickly started looking for the 0-4. However, Dabbagh failed to kill the match completely. Then let’s try that 1-3, the home team thought. Biron stopped a high cross nicely, but then missed. The goal would not have counted anyway, because the whistle was blown for offside. Del Piage kicked the intersection moments later. Who still remembers the nice substitute of his compatriot Rikelmi against KV Mechelen on the third competition day?

Makhtar Gueye saved the match shortly after the hour mark, just in time. At first no one seemed to take Biron’s cross, but fortunately for the home team – and the match – Camara sent the ball back, straight to Gueye’s head. Hope grew at RWDM, without any quick new concrete opportunities. With Xavier Mercier and Abner Felipe, Yannick Ferrera threw his last trump cards on the table shortly before the final quarter. The home team kept trying, including through Gueye, but could not get through. Saying that this could have already been a practice match for RWDM.

RWDM: Hubert, Adaramola (14′ Camara), Sousa, Makosso, Marsoni, Reine-Adélaïde (45+9′ Del Piage), Abe (71′ Mercier), Carlos Alberto (71′ Abner), Biron, Segovia, Gueye
Charleroi: Koffi, Dragsnes, Andreou, Dari (23′ Bager), Petris (76′ Rogelj), Camara, Morioka (75′ Ilaimaharitra), Guiagon, Heymans, Bernier (75′ Mbenza), Dabbagh (85′ Sylla)
Goals: 7′ Dari 0-1, 35′ Dragsnes 0-2, 39′ Guiagon 0-3, 63′ Gueye 1-3
Yellow: 87′ Andreou
Red: no