Published
2025-11-09
Union held to a draw by KV Mechelen after late penalty
After a match that lacked excitement for long stretches, our Unionists had to settle for a draw away at KV Mechelen. The Brussels side survived a couple of scares but eventually took the lead through substitute Florucz. However, in the closing minutes, Van Brederode converted a penalty to make it 1-1.
Union started brightly and immediately pushed forward. The first danger came from a long throw by Mac Allister, but the Mechelen goalkeeper was alert and cleared the danger.
From the eighth minute onwards, KV Mechelen grew into the game and threatened with a deep through ball, but no one was there at the far post to finish.
After fifteen minutes, Union created their first real chance. Schoofs nutmegged a Mechelen defender and found Rodriguez, who slipped the ball through to Zorgane, but his shot was blocked.
Moments later, Raman had a big chance for Mechelen after a quickly taken free kick, but Mac Allister managed to stop the shot before it reached the goal.
Rodriguez then broke through on the edge of offside, but his sharp-angled effort was denied by goalkeeper Miras.
Just before halftime, Union threatened again from a corner. Ait El Hadj sent in a cross to the far post, Burgess rose to head it, but his effort lacked power and went straight into Miras’s hands. The first half ended goalless.
Union came out firing after the break. Rodriguez dribbled past several defenders but saw his shot blocked once more. At the other end, Mechelen looked dangerous on the counter, though Scherpen dealt with the threat confidently.
Around the hour mark, substitute David turned and fired after a cross from Schoofs, but Maris produced a fine save to deny him.
Moments later, St. Jago thought he had put Mechelen ahead, only for his header to be ruled out for offside. Shortly after, the home side struck the post in a scrappy phase inside the box.
Against the run of play, Union opened the scoring. A midfield turnover allowed Schoofs to release Florucz, who finished calmly for 0-1.
But Union’s lead didn’t last. Following a corner, Van De Perre handled the ball inside the box. Referee Visser immediately pointed to the spot, and Van Brederode kept his cool to convert: 1-1.
Union and KV Mechelen thus share the spoils after a game that only truly came to life in the final stages.