Westerlo
STVV
- 8′ – Goal – Ryotaro Ito (0 – 1)
- 21′ – Yellow – Frederic Ananou
- 32′ – Goal – Jordan Bos (1 – 1)
- 42′ – Yellow – Bryan Reynolds
- 47′ – Goal – Lucas Stassin (2 – 1)
- 59′ – Cont. Eric Junior Bocat by Ryoya Ogawa
- 64′ – Yellow – Bruno Godeau
- 68′ – Yellow – Serhiy Sydorchuk
- 69′ – Goal – Adriano Bertaccini (2 – 2)
- 78′ – Cont. Adriano Bertaccini by Joselpho Barnes
- 78′ – Cont. Frederic Ananou by Robert-Jan Vanwesemael
- 78′ – Cont. Lucas Stassin by Matija Frigan
- 79′ – Cont. Griffin Yow by Allahyar Sayyadmanesh
- 88′ – Cont. Josimar Alcócer by Tuur Rommens
- 88′ – Cont. Nicolas Madsen by Karol Borys
- 90′ – Cont. Aboubakary Koita by Adam Nhaili
- 90′ – Cont. Kahveh Zahiroleslam by Fatih Kaya
Jupiler Pro League – matchday 7 – 03/05/24 – 20:46
| time | icon | player | homeTime | homeIcon | homePlayer | score | awayPlayer | awayIcon | awayTime |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8′ | Ryotaro Ito | 0 – 1 | Ryotaro Ito | 8′ | |||||
| 32′ | Jordan Bos | 32′ | Jordan Bos | 1 – 1 | |||||
| 47′ | Lucas Stassin | 47′ | Lucas Stassin | 2 – 1 | |||||
| 69′ | Adriano Bertaccini | 2 – 2 | Adriano Bertaccini | 69′ |
Again no first victory for Westerlo in the Europe Play-offs. Against STVV they turned a deficit into a lead, but a goal from Bertaccini resulted in a division of points.
Westerlo – STVV in a nutshell:
Key moment: Westerlo needs half an hour to wake up, but then rewards itself with two goals. Yet the home team still hands over the victory. In minute 69, Bertaccini strikes mercilessly on a rare chance for the Canaries in half two.
Man of the Match: Ryotaro Ito was very present in the first half hour and also scored a great goal. The Japanese then went down together with his teammates (although he gave a nice assist in the second half), Jordan Bos made an impression from then on with his goal and dribbling on the left flank.
Remarkable: Is the magic gradually running out at STVV? The Canaries have now been unable to win 5 league matches in a row. That is the longest series without a win for STVV this season. Yet those figures pale in comparison to Westerlo’s report, which has already gone 11 games without a win.
Lightning of Forest
Avoid conceding goals, that is what Westerlo coach Bart Goor strongly asked of his players before the match against STVV. Westerlo had lost points too often in recent weeks by conceding simple goals.
But Goor’s demand fell on deaf ears. After just 8 minutes the 0 was already off the board. Ryotaro Ito also conjured up a long shot two minutes after a nice combination with a heel. Sinan Bolat was just able to reach it, but saw the leather disappear into his top corner.
STVV then had a firm grip on the game and controlled the game. What the home team delivered was extremely poor. Until half an hour later a lightning bolt suddenly appeared in ‘t Kuipje.
Jordan Bos cut in from the left flank and smashed the ball with his right into the farthest intersection. A great goal on both sides, so it was 1-1 at half time.
Work for the VAR
Westerlo pushed forward after the opening goal in the first half, but did not score. This worked a lot more smoothly in the second half. Lucas Stassin needed just two minutes to push Yow’s measured cross into the goal.
The VAR, on the other hand, had to work a little longer. Yow had gone offside on the right. It caused headaches in Tubize, but the VAR ultimately saw that Yow was narrowly onside: 2-1.
Westerlo then wanted more and continued to play nice football, but ran into a very clever pass from Ito again. He served Bertaccini, who dribbled around Bolat and deposited the ball into the goal.
But the STVV striker also made it quite difficult for the VAR men. Like Yow, he left on the edge, but he too was eventually given the green light. In the remaining half hour – no less than 11 (!) minutes were added – both teams tried again, but the 2-2 score could no longer be cleared.
Both teams have a sour series without victories, but they still get 3 matches to end the season on a positive note.
Bart Goor: “Fantastic goals, but they yield little”
- Thorsten Fink (coach STVV): “We play a very strong opening half hour, perhaps even the strongest this season. We should score 2 or 3 times there. But we did not do that and in the final quarter of the first half we suddenly have to deal with a strong Westerlo. The second half was more open, a draw is okay here. We wanted to make sure the fans enjoyed it and I think we succeeded.”
- Bart Goor (coach Westerlo): “This was a pleasant match, although we didn’t start sharp at all and we ran where we shouldn’t. After 20 minutes we stayed in position and things went better. Then we also show more courage and we see that it works. The goals of We were fantastic, but they didn’t deliver much. The goals conceded were also too simple.”
Phase by phase
End!
After 101 minutes, Bourdeaud’hui ends the game! Westerlo came out of the dressing room very sharply and quickly took the lead through Stassin, but a measured pass from Ito and a cunning finish from Bertaccini made it 2-2. Westerlo missed out on the victory again, although it certainly played a creditable match.
The 10 extra minutes have passed, but in ‘t Kuipje they can’t get enough of it. Yet a draw seems to remain on the board even after more than 100 minutes.
STVV is down to ten due to Ogawa’s injury, can the home team benefit from the numerical surplus in the absolute final?
Ogawa had to replace the injured Bocat, but has to leave again. The Japanese has badly hurt his arm, his grimaces speak volumes.
Almost Barnes
Substitute Barnes takes a far corner at the far post without thinking. The ball just whizzes past the far post, this would have been a world-class goal!
After a one-two, Nhaili hits the turf in Westerlo’s 16. The VAR wants to check the phase, but there didn’t seem to be much to it. They quickly realized this in Tubize.
An additional 10 minutes will be added.
Five Westerlo players appear in Suzuki’s box, as a cross is whipped in from the right. It is not tailor-made, Suzuki dominates the airspace and is stuck. Time is slowly running out.
There is also no danger on the other side for a while. Koita wants to deflect a long ball in one go, but hits the ball completely wrong. Goor takes advantage of the moment to bring two more fresh men between the lines.
Westerlo does not settle for just one point and carefully looks for more. Madsen thinks for a moment that he has scored a corner, but ref Bourdeaud’hui rightly contradicts him with a goal kick. Will there be a final offensive?
Frigan immediately proves why he was put between the lines. He is being followed closely by Smets. The striker takes a free kick with it and heads it dangerously towards the goal. Suzuki taps over.
