Top scorer Frey moderately guides Antwerp from the dot …
ALSO READ: OUR VERDICT. Butez by far the best man at Antwerp, offensive players disappoint
After the short -and not so- cup adventure, the competition is only of interest to Antwerp. So it was better to win against Cercle Brugge. Priske went to stand in front of the mirror after the meager display against Westerlo, but he also expected a reaction from his group. The Danish coach returned to the team that protected Club Brugge a week ago. Fischer for Balikwisha was the only substitution.
Twelfth man better than the eleven on the field
But that procedural response was delayed for the first 45 minutes. Everything Priske did not see after Westerlo, he saw against Cercle. The main goals came from the home playing Association. Butez was one of the few visitors at a level. The goalkeeper risked life and limb by flying into Millán’s feet. Scots from Matondo and Van der Bruggen couldn’t get him in trouble. For Corryn, ex-Antwerp, the match lasted only 25 minutes. He had to retire injured.
The Antwerp players who did not reach their best level could not be counted on one hand. Then the fans who traveled along deserved more attention. It was difficult to get warm from Fischer’s two shots, Verstraete’s free kick that was too high and Benson’s blocked shot. Nevertheless, the whole party creates the atmosphere in it. admirable.
More urge to attack after rust
Okay, Cercle is far from being selected once this season, but against the penultimate in the standings we can expect a bit more from a team with sky-high ambitions. Priske did not make any changes at half time, but at the start of the second company he saw more urgency in his team.
And that resulted in a goal after ten minutes. With the cooperation of Utkus, of course. Engels headed a long throw-in from De Laet against the Lithuanian’s arm. Referee D’hondt went to review the phase on his screen. When he pointed to the dot, the hitherto invisible Frey had already claimed the ball. He kicked his thirteenth goal in thirteen games against the ropes in front of the singing fans.
Alert Butez
Cercle did not want to be left empty-handed after a decent match and went looking for the equalizer and a penalty kick, but the referee did not respond to Vitinho’s appeal. At the Great Old, Samatta and Balikwisha were given another twenty minutes to ensure a safer practice. Didillon immediately had to react alertly to a low slide from the Tanzanian substitute.
At the Association, Matondo and Hotic came closest to an equalizer. Especially with a free kick from the latter, Butez had to display his best goalkeeping work. While defending the tight one, Verstraete still runs into his fifth yellow card. He therefore misses the top match against Anderlecht.
Thanks to the victory, Antwerp continues to follow in the footsteps of Club Brugge and Union, although the team from Brussels will still play against AA Gent this match day. Studbook 1 remains in the top four number, although it must be better against Anderlecht on Thursday to also grab points there. City rival Beerschot will not care about the Antwerp victory either. The gap on Cercle, their first target, is only four points after this matchday.