Belgians abroad: Tielemans and Dendoncker scorers, Milan and Saelemaekers top of Serie A
ENGLAND
Leicester, with a goal from Tielemans, held in check by West Ham (2-2)
Leicester did not return to victory on Sunday against West Ham during the 25th day of the English championship (2-2). Holder with the Foxes unlike Thursday’s match at Liverpool, Youri Tielemans scored his sixth goal by converting a penalty awarded for a handball error by Aaron Cresswell (45th, 1-1). The Hammers opened the scoring through Jarrod Bowen (10th, 0-1) before conceding goals from Tielemans and Ricardo Pereira on a cross from Harvey Barnes (57th, 2-1). But the Londoners ended up snatching the split on a whim from Craig Dawson (90th + 1, 2-2) served by Bowen.
In the standings, West Ham remains 4th (41 points). Leicester, who have only played 22 games, are in 11th position (27 points).
In Germany, Bielefeld with Nathan De Medina on the bench lost 2-0 at Hoffenheim. Benjamin Hubner (22nd) and Georginio Rutter (51st) ended a three-game losing streak. After 22 days, Hoffenheim occupies the fifth position (34 points) Bielefeld is 15th with 22 points, just like Augsburg 16th and barrage.
Dendoncker goalscorer against Tottenham
Leander Dendoncker scored his first Premier League goal of the season for Wolverhampton away to Tottenham. With Wolves leading 0-1 after 6 minutes (but from Jiminez), the Red Devil doubled the lead 12 minutes later. Opportunistic, the former Anderlechtois found himself in the right place to propel into the back of the net a ball that was badly repelled by the Spurs defense.
GERMANY
Without Hazard or Meunier but with Witsel, Borussia Dortmund crushes Union Berlin
On Sunday afternoon, Borussia Dortmund won a big victory, 0-3, on the road to Union Berlin as part of the 22nd day of the Bundesliga. Axel Witsel was the holder in the midfield of the BVB for this meeting which opposed him to a European candidate that is Union Berlin. Without their star striker Erling Haaland, the visitors did not lack efficiency and took the lead with a quick double from Marco Reus (18th and 25th). Raphael Guerreiro added a second-half goal (71st) to complete Dortmund’s victory. Axel Witsel played the 90 minutes of the match while Thorgan Hazard and Thomas Meunier were absent from the match sheet.
Dortmund (46 points), second in the standings, is 6 points behind Bayern, beaten on Saturday at Bochum (4-2). Union Berlin is in 6th place, synonymous with qualification for the preliminary rounds of the Conference League.
ITALY
Sunday noon, AC Milan took the lead in Serie A by beating Sampdoria Genoa by the smallest gap, 1-0, as part of the 25th day of the championship. They take the lead in the standings. It was the young Portuguese striker Rafael Leao who offered the victory to the Rossoneri from the start of the match (8th). On receiving a long clearance from his goalkeeper Mike Maignan, Leao eliminated his direct opponent and won his face-to-face with Wladimiro Falcone to put his team in charge. Despite a statistical domination, Milan did not need an extra but to secure the three points.
Alexis Saelemaekers, on the bench at the start of the game, came on in the 57th minute in place of Junior Messias.
This victory allows AC Milan to temporarily take the lead in Serie A with 1 point ahead of Inter, who have 1 game less. Napoli follow closely, with only 2 points less than the leaders.
Vanheusden and Genoa fail to overcome the red lantern Salernitana
Sunday afternoon, Genoa and Salernitana left back to back, 1-1, after their match of the 25th day of Serie A. Zinho Vanheusden started and played the entire meeting on the Genoese side. The score was drawn in the first period, since at the opening of Mattia Destro (1-0, 32nd) responded Federico Bonazzoli in stoppage time (1-1, 45th + 1). The second half remained silent and less eventful.
Zinho Vanheusden’s teammates will not be satisfied with this result in the duel between the bottom two of the Serie A standings. Since Genoa (15 points) is still 6 points behind Venice and leaving the red zone. Dead last, the Salernitana have only 12 points in 24 games.
SPAIN
Real Sociedad, with Januzaj, an insured against Granada (2-0)
Real Sociedad won 2-0 on Sunday their duel against Granada scheduled for the 24th day. Among the winners, Adnan Januzaj started but was replaced (68th). In the standings, the Basques retain their 6th place (38 points) and Granada remains 16th (24 points). The home side dominated the first half but failed to score more than one goal. However, Imanol Alguacil’s men created several big scoring chances by relying on the verticality in the game of Alexander Isak and Januzaj, two real headaches for the opposing backs and goalkeeper Luis Maximiano. Mikel Oyarzabal opened the scoring on a penalty awarded for a handball foul by Domingos Duarte. For its part, Granada got a very good chance, but Alex Remiro remarkably won his face-to-face with Matias Arezo (17th).
After the break, the Basques resumed their domination, thanks in particular to the work of Oyarzabal and Januzaj. After having distilled a last good center in the opposing zone badly negotiated by his teammates, Januzaj gave way to Portu (68th). Shortly after, Rafinha doubled Real’s lead with a point-blank shot on a cross from his captain, Oyarzabal (74th, 2-0).
FRANCE
Matz Sels and Strasbourg put pressure on the podium with victory in Angers
Sunday afternoon, the 24th day of Ligue 1 saw several Belgians in action. Matz Sels managed to hold zero with Strasbourg to secure the away win at Angers 0-1. Kévin Gameiro scored the only but Strasbourg early in the game (11th). In the cages, Matz Sels obtained a 3rd clean sheet in 4 games. Nantes managed to take the three points against Reims, thanks to a goal from former Gentois Moïse Simon. Maxime Busi on the right and Wout Faes in the axis imposed Belgium in the Reims defense, but they could not prevent the defeat of their, reduced to ten after a red card for Yunis Abdelhamid (14th).
In the standings, Strasbourg (41 points), 4th, sticks to the second and third places on the podium occupied by Marseille (43 points) and Nice (42 points). Nantes climbs to 8th place (35) while Angers (29) and Reims (27) follow each other in 13th and 14th position.
THE NETHERLANDS
No success for Tahiri with Heerenveen or for Adewoye and Walwijk
Several Belgians trod the Dutch lawns on Sunday afternoon. They weren’t successful, however, as Heerenveen and Anas Tahiri lost to Nijmegen while Waalwijk and its Belgian colony lost to Feyenoord. Heerenveen lost 0-1 to NEC Nijmegen. The difference was made at the end of the first half, with a goal from Tavsan (41st). Anas Tahiri took over from the bench but quickly came on in the 36th minute following the injury to Siem De Jong.
RKC Walwijk also conceded defeat, 0-2, against Feyenoord. Kokcu, at the end of the first half (45th), and Hendrix, at the end of the second half (89th), secured the victory for the visitors. Among the four Belgians on the match sheet on the side of Walwijk, only Shawn Adewoye, holder, walked on the lawn. He was contested the whole encounter, but Daneels, Lutonda and Van den Buijs remained in tracksuits.
Feyenoord, 3rd with 48 points, is in the fight with Ajax and PSV who are respectively only 3 points and 1 point. Walwijk resists the red zone despite the defeat, 13th with 22 points. Heerenveen slips back to 11th place with 25 points and Nijmegen is now 8th, with 30 points.