For a long time it looked like Cercle would hold on to all three points for the second time in three days after another Denkey goal, but that was without Truiense’s replacement Ferrari. In the absolute final, the Uruguayan equalized.
After the satisfactory hat-trick at home against KAA Gent last Thursday, Cercle wanted to move up a few places in the standings. It was then necessary to beat Felice Mazzu’s STVV and 6 out of 6. Muslic rotated and gave Diakité a rest, leaving Miangue to kick off. Denkey also reappeared there.
The Togolese once again proved his worth against Ghent last Thursday with two goals and once again opened the scoring. After more than half an hour of football, he took the advantage with his knee and made a dazzling turn: 1-0. Until then, Cercle had taken the upper hand convincingly, but it got no further than a blocked shot from Olaigbe. STVV was waiting for the counter and was only able to warn twice with Bertaccini and Brahimi in the first part. Five minutes after the first goal, Denkey appeared to score a double today, but an unprecedented foot reflex from Kokubo prevented the double lead. Nazinho also had the chance to do so after Olaigbe missed Nunes’ cross, but Van Helden threw himself in front of goal.
In the second part, the Association was quickly shocked by a headed goal from Zahiroleslam, but he used his arm in the duel with Warleson. No equalization was the only right decision. On the hour mark, Olaigbe rushed off the touchline and Denkey was simply unable to tap his cross with the outside of his foot. Ravych was once again the rock in the waves and stood out on a tight cross from Patris by equalizing just in front of Zahiroleslam. STVV put pressure, but hardly created any open chances. Mazzu brought Ferrari into the fray and it paid off, as the striker reacted most vigilantly to a long ball and slipped the equalizer past Warleson in the final minute. In added time, the Uruguayan had a good shooting opportunity, but decided to miss it.
DIGEST
Cercle de Bruges: Warleson, Agyekum (46′ Van der Bruggen), Nunes (83′ Magnée), Denkey, Olaigbe (66′ Minda), Nazinho (83′ Diakité), Van Francis Bruggen, Somers (46′ Efekele), Ravych, Kakou
STVV: Kokubo, Ogawa, Taniguchi, Yamamoto (46′ Ito), Brahimi, Fujita, Zahiroleslam, Patris, Van Helden (83′ Vanwesemael), Godeau, Bertaccini (83′ Ferrari)
Goals: Denkey (1-0) 34′, Ferrari (1-1) 90′
Cards: Coppens (yellow) 54′, Brahimi (yellow) 90+6′
