What was supposed to be a beautiful evening for Anderlecht turned out to be a complete disaster. The Purple & White wanted to celebrate the return of Thorgan Hazard and Jan Vertonghen, but they lost 2-3 against Dender. ‘Strong Jan’ didn’t even get a chance to come on in a dramatic second half. The teammates just blew it. The people of Brussels will end 2024 in third place, but they are already 9 points behind leader RC Genk.
Love me, Dender. Love me sweet. It’s those damn top thousand and end-of-year lists that do it, but during this Christmas period you can easily end up with an earworm. Elvis had been haunting my thoughts for a whole day.
The man that FCV Dender should cherish and love the most is called Roman Kvet. The visitors started very well in the Lotto Park. The PhD student was not afraid and put Anderlecht under heavy pressure. When a ball from Coosemans was intercepted, Kvet was handed the ball. The Czech was given a lot of time and scored the 0-1 wonderfully into the top corner. Wow. Little Dender was actually ahead.
Roman Kvet gave Dender a wonderful lead.
Photo: BELGIAN
Base location Engwanda
Anderlecht also had some of its own fault for that deficit. The people of Brussels started the match laconically. The attention seemed to be focused more on the warm-up of Jan Vertonghen and Thorgan Hazard than on the kick-off of this last match in 2024. The football was quite difficult.
However, David Hubert had only changed his right flank. There was Anders Dreyer – back from illness – on the right winger while Nunzio Engwanda was the right back. The 17-year-old youth product thus received his first starting spot. Killian Sardella had only just returned from injury, while Foket was out with a toe problem. Engwanda started carefully with mainly backwards balls.
Still, it was a good recovery from the youngster who was responsible for the equalizer. Engwanda brought the leather to Dolberg and Yari Verschaeren was brought into position via Dreyer. That had his blue suede shoes On. His arrow also turned nicely in the intersection.
This time it was not a heart that Verscharen showed to the Anderlecht audience. The number 10 ostentatiously held his hands behind his ears. It wasn’t that he was with Love me, Dender was in his head. No, right?
The remarkable celebration of Yari Verschaeren.
Photo: BELGIAN
Verschaeren wanted to say earlier: “Do I still hear you?” The playmaker has received a lot of criticism in recent months. In Extra time the analysts said – just like us a few weeks earlier – that he might need some fresh air. Moreover, in the corridors Verschaeren has already been linked to Westerlo, but this was still a signal that the ket prefers to stay with RSCA. That was not necessary. There is still a great need for confirmation.
Snag flogged
In the meantime, Anderlecht had restored the balance in the match. At times, Kasper Dolberg again showed actions to die for. How he turned away or put Rits in front of goal alone: clever.
The excess of class that Dolberg has is sometimes compensated by Anders Dreyer. He occasionally waved the ball again. Yet the Dane has one incredible quality. He keeps working until he succeeds. Still in the first half, Dreyer pushed through the box and his curl went over goalkeeper Verrips. His fourth goal of the season and the set piece was really beaten in this match.
Dreyer also put his finger to his ear. Wanted that stadium DJ Love me, Dender really don’t impose now? Come on. No, just kidding. Anders Dreyer also responded to his critics and the many fans who would rather see him leave. In a way he is right. In two years – in 85 matches – Dreyer has 31 goals and 23 assists for Anderlecht. Those are really unlikely figures. Even if it sometimes looks a bit clumsy.
Anders Dreyer.
Photo: BELGIAN
Anderlecht now had to hold on to that lead. Last season they had 42 points after twenty match days at the winter break, but with this victory they would now only end up at 36. All in all, that’s not cool.
Yet RSCA was far from competitive with Dender. The home team played a dramatic second half and the neo-first division team was strong. When Zanka played a ball poorly, Dender came again. Roman Kvet isolated Scheidler in front of goal and it was 2-2.
Hazard yes, Jan not
Too bad for the mauves. They wanted to make it an end-of-year party, but that turned out differently. The stands had even chanted Verschaeren’s name and the crowd became ecstatic when Thorgan Hazard came on after eight months of injuries, but then disillusionment followed. After Dender’s 2-2, there was no longer even a chance to bring in Jan Vertonghen. That was only possible with a smooth lead. It even became a complete drama. Bruny Nsimba went ahead again and made it 2-3. What a disaster. Anderlecht only takes 1 out of 6 against Dender and goes into the winter break with only 33 points.
Dender in ecstasy after Bruny Nsimba’s 2-3.
Photo: BELGIAN
RSC Anderlecht: Coosemans, Engwanda (63′ Sardella), Simic, Zanka, N’Diaye, Rits, Dendoncker, Verschaeren (63′ Hazard), Dreyer (87′ Vazquez), Edozie (75′ Amuzu), Dolberg
Dender: Verrips, Ruyssen, Gonçalves (63′ Oratmangoen), Cools, Pupe, Hrncar, Rôdes, Kvet, Ferraro, Berte (63′ Nsimba), Scheidler (90′ Masangu)
Goals: 9′ Kvet 0-1, 21′ Verschaeren (Dreyer) 1-1, 30′ Dreyer (Rits) 2-1, 77′ Scheidler (Kvet) 2-2, 89′ Nsimba 2-3
Yellow cards: 90′ Pupe, 90′ Nsimba
Rothe cards: no
Referee: Wim Smet
