Funny evening in Charleroi. While the Zebras were leading and the atmosphere was festive, a match stoppage due to a burst of smoke in T4 put Union Saint-Gilloise back on track.
It was absolutely freezing this Saturday evening at Mambourg, and neither the atmosphere set by the Storm Ultras nor the tribute to Daniel Mathy, legendary goalkeeper of the Zebras, had warmed bodies and hearts. But it was Union Saint-Gilloise who appeared cold at the start of the match.
Perfect Guiagon, above all, is untenable in the first quarter of an hour and creates discord on all sides. On a free kick obtained by the Ivorian, Daan Heymans alerts Moris, who can only push back; Nikola Stulicnew hero Carolo, follows well (1-0, 14th).
A very weak Union
The USG is struggling to emerge, well blocked by an imperial Keita-Ousou duo. Waiting and waiting, the Unionists will gradually try to get into the matches, but remain far too messy, especially in the case of wingers Khalaili and Niang. Would Lapoussin have done better? The name of Marien’s favorite resonates several times, but he was once again dismissed by Pocognoli for this match.
While the match is humming along at a fairly slow pace, Ivanovic shifts Anouar Aït El-Hadj to the left, but Koné anticipates his exit (35th). Charleroi will end the half on a strong note, but the attacks of Petris and Guiagon are well contained.
A fatal interruption
Returning from the locker room, for a few minutes, Charleroi continues in this direction and pushes towards his team… who, however, will commit a big mistake. In the 47th minute, the ultras paid tribute to their guests, those of the German club Münster, by launching a beautiful pyrotechnic show. Unfortunately, rockets are launched towards the lawn and heavy smoke settles.
Problem: in the first period, pyrotechnics had already forced a stoppage of the match, which triggered the regulatory process: everyone in the locker room and a 10-minute timeout. And at the end of this break, the Zebras seem lost (or the USG revived): Ivanovic hits the post (53rd), Sykes places a header just above the goals (56th).
Mohamed Koné, above all, offers a 1-1 ball at the feet of Promise David: the latter misses in an incomprehensible way, but on the following corner, a mix-up allows Alessio Castro-Montes to make 1-1 (59th). Worse: in the process, Franjo Ivanovic ahead of an average outing from Koné which he overcomes with a subtle lob (63rd, 1-2). Ironic applause erupts from the side bays towards T4, responsible for the stop.
The match will then become tense, with a Union which gets into the skin of its favorite character: that of the experienced team, which puts on cleats and gains time against a lost Charleroi. The players who were timid and out of character from the first period have disappeared. However, they can thank Mambourg for these three points out of nowhere!
