Combatant FT Antwerp must leave the title to Halle-Gooik: “But we can rightly be proud of our season” (Antwerp)
No title for FT Antwerp. Without the injured Amar Zouggaghi and the suspended Jasper Friday night for what they were worth, but they cracked in the first ten minutes of the second. Halle-Gooik eventually won 6-3 and is again champion. Karim Bachar’s assignments can look back on a season in which only the icing on the cake is missing.
Marcel Bernaerts
FT Antwerp already faced a 1-0 deficit within the minute on Friday evening. But the Sinjoren can bounce even on a 1-2 lead and could dream right up to the rust. Immediately after the break, however, a strong Halle-Gooik put things in order and it ran away to 5-2. The match was played immediately.
“At 4-2 we played everything from nothing,” says coach Karim Bachar. “It turned out to be nothing. But at the time, it was the only choice we could and make. Still, I’m proud of my boys. And I’m not just talking about the final, but especially about the whole season. We came second in the regular competition, reached the semi-finals in the cups and now became finalists of the play-offs with a loss.”
The Antwerp trainer was more than rightly proud to look back on the performance of his team. “I think we have two great final matches for the spectators. I think it’s a shame that we can make it so difficult for Halle-Gooik. We were really not impressed and it was the details that made all the difference. We had a chance to play at home and also Friday there were opportunities to practice a third game. That has not happened twice, but that does not detract from the clever way in which we can perform.”
Difference in vision
“Halle-Gooik is the result, but also the logical champion. The Flemish Brabant have the largest budget, the largest foreign players and the largest number of hours of training work. In addition, it is of course also a matter of difference in vision. We try to let as many players as possible move on to the first team from our own youth. If your way can offer resistance to a fully-fledged professional team, then you have the right to look back on this totality.”