There it is, the first prize for Union since 1935. After two very strong years without an award, the people of Brussels have now finally won their first medal since their promotion. In the final of the Croky Cup, Union beat Antwerp 1-0, Machida scored the only goal of the match just before half time. Antwerp must now do everything it can to obtain a European ticket through the competition.
If even Alexander Blessin puts on a costume, it must really be an important day. For the first time this season, the Union coach was not on the sidelines in a tracksuit, and that was a good thing: the Brussels team were able to win their first cup since 1914. Striking: Union has only played two cup finals previously in history, but it managed to win both of them. Time for three on three? There was a first boost before the match: the doubtful Burgess had become fit and was in the starting line-up.
Antwerp wanted to balance the trophy cabinet again on Thursday afternoon: The Great Old had already won the title five times and the cup four times, so the fifth cup had to become a reality to be assured of European football. In the competition it will become a little more difficult for Antwerp to enforce European football. Van Bommel dropped Balikwisha and Kerk into the starting line-up, Ondrejka and Ejuke disappeared from the team.
Everything seemed to be there to make it a fantastic cup afternoon, but we certainly didn’t see much of a spectacle in the first half. Union immediately took control and looked for gaps, but were unable to create opportunities from them. It was even Antwerp that could really threaten for the first time: halfway through the first half, Ekkelenkamp took a shot from far away, his shot licked the post.
Then take action
We didn’t get to see a high-quality first half even after that chance. Union did have possession of the ball but did very little with it, at Antwerp the good organization at the back prevailed. We were heading for a logical 0-0 halftime score, until Union struck in injury time: Nilsson nodded a corner perfectly to Machida, who pushed the ball into the goal from close range. 1-0 for Union at half time.
The accompanying Antwerp fans tried to put their players on edge at the start of the second half by throwing Bengali fire onto the field, and referee Erik Lambrechts immediately had to stop the match.
After the short delay we were able to continue. Antwerp seemed to realize that it had to happen now and finally showed more drive forward. However, Moris remained virtually unemployed: Antwerp found it very difficult to find holes in the Brussels defense. Ekkelenkamp then tried to claim a penalty after slight contact with Burgess, but not enough for a penalty.
Photo: BELGA
All in all, Union easily holds its own
Despite the better intentions at Antwerp, it remained a fairly calm afternoon for Moris. Balikwisha threatened, but the ball ended up on the cage of the Luwemburg goalie. Even after Mark Van Bummel’s triple substitution – Ejuke, Yusuf and Bataille came into the team – things just didn’t work out for the reigning national champion and cup winner. There was pressure, but Antwerp did not get much further than that.
Moris actually only had to intervene once: after Burgess was too easily defeated by Ekkelenkamp, the Dutchman was able to shoot from an acute angle, Moris was alert. Still a bit of a shock for Burgess, who otherwise played a fantastic match.
On the other side, Union itself had three good chances to score, but Nilsson, Puertas and Amoura were not accurate. Not a disaster, because keeping a clean sheet was of course Union’s priority. And that worked.
Union thus wins its first cup since 1914 and its first top prize since the championship in 1935. Cup number three is a fact, and Union’s cup win immediately gives it a ticket for the final preliminary round of the Europa League. A ticket that will soon be able to ‘upgrade’ in the competition.
For Antwerp, there is no other option than to enforce European football through the competition. That will certainly not be easy, because The Great Old is last in the Champions’ play-offs.
Union: Moris, Mac Allister, Burgess, Machida, Castro-Montes, Vanhoutte, Rasmussen (83′ Sadiki), Puertas, Lapoussin (81′ Sykes), Amoura (90+5′ Lazare), Nilsson (81′ Rodriguez)
Antwerp: Lammens, De Laet (73′ Bataille), Van Den Bosch, Alderweireld, Wijndal, Matazo (73′ Yusuf), Keita, Ekkelenkamp, Balikwisha, Kerk (73′ Ejuke), Janssen
Goals: 45+1′ Machida (Nilsson, 1-0)
Yellow cards: 24′ Amoura, 30′ Matazo, 68′ Burgess, 88′ Van Den Bosch, 90′ Castro-Montes
Red cards: no
Referee: Erik Lambrechts
Photo: Isosport
Photo: BELGA
Photo: BELGA
