Antwerp says goodbye to Europe with first win against Olym…
Royal Antwerp FC has signed its Europa League campaign on a positive note. In the final game of the group stage, the heavily redrawn Great Old could no longer avoid fourth and last place. A first win and the fundamental bounty of 630,000 was thus the only bet against the Greek Olympiacos. An industrious Balikwisha gave Antwerp 1-0 early on. That gradual progress can go to the end on the board.
Diederik Geypen
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It’s always a good sign when you’re surprised that the referee has already captured the halftime signal. Then you got to see something in the first 45 minutes. Nothing is at stake in this last and unnecessary group match. Olympiakos, which was certain of a sequel in the Europa League, could still take the lead from the Germans with a win and a favorable result in Fenerbahçe-Eintracht Frankfurt.
Priske promised to rotate and did so. Of the boys who beat Beerschot in the derby last Sunday, only Butez, De Laet and Verstraete took part. The Dane also opted for eight new names, with the unpublished trio Benson, Eggestein and Balikwisha in the front. Antwerp took a dream start and climbed on moves for almost eight minutes. Balikwisha squeezed in tight and outwitted Vaclik with a clever brushstroke. The repetition is clearly clear that defender Cisse still slightly deviated with his head.
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Benson and Balikwisha show themselves
Balikwisha allowed himself a very first profit. The Greeks had their own hands with international promises. Benson also wanted to show that Priske still has to take him into account. The pocketwinger was substituted the most of all Antwerp players in the Belgian league (twelve times) and also the most often brought in (ten times). Usually filling in is better than starting, but now Benson was in the game from the kick-off. Halfway through the first period he had the 2-0 at the foot. Instead of shooting crosswise, he opted for the short angle. Vaclik stood firm.
The Olympiacos goalkeeper was the only visitor of level before half-time. The Greek record champion with 46 national titles could never alarm the Antwerp occasional defense. Camara came closest to a goal with a long shot at the hands of Butez.
Same game image after the break
Trainer Martins intervened halfway through and victimized three names from his basic team. El Arabi, among others, came in, the man who scored in the first leg. The substitutions did not change the game picture, Vaclik guard Balik second with a goal.
Priske also changed quickly. Dessoleil groped for the buttock and went off injured for Engels. De Laet went to rest for Quirynen. For example, the youngster received playing minutes for the first time since the second day of play.
Both Benson and Balikwisha had some opportunities to make it 2-0. Frey also failed for the Czech goalie, although the Swiss was offside. In the final Olympiakos still insisted on looking for the equalizer, but fortunately a late goal against like in Piraeus did not fall for Antwerp anymore.
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- Great hit from MA. Balikwisha brings profit to Antwerp
- Olympiakos does not score and is second in the group
- Great Old ends European campaign with a deserved victory
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Michel Ange Balikwisha scored the only goal of the evening
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END
Antwerp ends European adventure in beauty
The Greeks started the second half with three new pawns, but they didn’t help. They played soccer too slowly and didn’t get a chance to play together. Antwerp easily survived after an adult game. Benson and Balikwisha came close to making it 2-0, but goalkeeper Vaclik did not participate in the party. Antwerp bids a frugal but deserved farewell to the European stage. The last in the group with five points.
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20h36 End of the 2nd half
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90+2′
Yellow card
Pape Abou Cisse of Olympiakos Piraeus is booked.
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90+1′
Great rescue
Goalkeeper Tomáš Vaclík is an excellent final piece for the Greeks. Substitute Yusuf is only recently on the field and makes a surprising hit. Again the keeper taps the ball into a corner. It’s counting down for Antwerp.
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90′
Three extra minutes
There are three minutes left in this game.
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Michel Ange Balikwisha, the match winner for Antwerp
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87′
to replace
Change at Antwerp. Alhassan Yusuf replaces Michel Ange Balikwisha.
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86′
Time is ticking away
Time is ticking away for Olympiakos. The Antwerp fans will once again fully support their team for the last European minutes. Match winner Balikwisha gets his hands on each other at his substitution.
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84′
Final Offensive
Olympiakos develops a final offensive. They have nothing left to lose and they throw everything into the battle not to lose. This creates a lot of space for the home team.
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Björn Engels plans a few more minutes against his team in the second half
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82′
Tough to tackle
Youssef El Arabi gets the turbo going. Dinis Almeida is back just in time and slides the ball into a corner. The corner of the Greeks poses no danger.
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80′
Not played well
After a combination via Dwomoh and Samatta, the ball lands on Balikwisha’s head. The attacker can head but he does not get the ball well on the head. This should have been better.
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79′
Offside Frey
The Swiss is looking for a first European goal but not past goalkeeper Vaclik. In addition, the linesman’s flag goes up very late.
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78′
Draw in Turkey
In the match between Fenerbahçe and Eintracht Frankfurt it is still red 1-1. The group win can barely escape the Germans.
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76′
Closing Quarter
Antwerp is still fifteen minutes away from the first victory in this European campaign. Yet so many points have been thrown away in the previous games. European wintering would certainly have been possible.
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74′
Corner Antwerp
Verstraete looks for the far post but goalkeeper Vaclik can easily intercept.