Antwerp FC – Union SG : 4-2

It was a difficult trip for our Unionists to the leaders of the championship. Union had yet to win an away game and Antwerp had yet to lose a single game this season.

An own goal from Bart Nieuwkoop gave Antwerp an early lead. Union still managed to create a few chances, but Antwerp kept putting the pressure on and Vincent Janssen made it 2-0.

Five minutes later, Siebe Van der Heyden put Union back in the game with an unstoppable header. With a lot of effort and aggressiveness, the game could have gone one way or the other and there was a chance to pick up points at Bosuil.

Two VARs, two red cards

Just before half-time, Lazare gave a heavy challenge on Yusuf and referee Lardot gave him a yellow card. The VAR intervened, and Lardot reconsidered his decision to send Lazare to the locker room, direct red.

Immediately after the red card, Sam Vines made it 3-1 and the game seemed completely over. In added time in the first-half, Vincent Janssen scored to make it 4-1 from the penalty spot against 10 men Union.

At the start of the second half, our manager Karel Geraerts made changes to be more attacking and brought on Simon Adingra in place of Ross Sykes. Just after the hour mark, Dennis Eckert scored his first goal of the season after an opportunity with Guillaume François. A glimmer of hope in the Union game, but five minutes before the end, Lardot had to call on the VAR again.

This time it was Oussama El Azzouzi who received a red card. He brought down Anthony Valencia and Union had to end the match with 9 players.

4-2 final score. No first away victory for our Unionists. But there will be a new opportunity this Sunday in Zulte Waregem.

49. Moris
02. Nieuwkoop
07. Boniface
08. Lazare
10. Teuma (C)
13. Vanzeir
16. Burgess
20. Lynen
26. Sykes
44. Van der Heyden
94. Lapoussin

Today was a big disappointment for the team. We gave away goals to our opposition. They were gifts, it is true that Antwerp was good. We did not know how to manage them in the first half. The game is over and now we have to concentrate on this weekend’s game against Zulte. Siebe Van der Heyden

It’s hard to concede four goals in a game. This hasn’t happened to me often in my career. The Antwerp players scored on the only chances they were given. This season is different from the previous season. The opposing teams are waiting for us! We are no longer the surprise of the championship. Now it’s up to us to question ourselves, turn the page, analyze our mistakes and focus on the next matches. Anthony Morris