Dirk Kuyt and Beerschot may be shocked after all. If the bottom line had been performing for a long time that gave the impression that rescue was possible, that was not the case at all on Friday in Leuven. And a tough program beckons at the beginning of 2025.
“It is a deserved victory for OHL,” Dirk Kuyt concluded. “We had the idea to end the month strong. Recently we had only suffered a defeat against Anderlecht. We achieved good results in the league and in the cup. It was immediately an open match in Leuven. With opportunities to beat the opponent We could have done better to hurt.”
Before the break there was a lack of a good final pass, but more problems emerged. “I tried to cheer up the players during half-time to send them back onto the field with more energy. You soon saw that our energy level went down and that of the opponent increased. Unfortunately, we couldn’t go for it one more time.” as we have done in recent weeks,” Kuyt admits.
Top teams are waiting for Beerschot
“It is a disappointing end to the year, but as always we will fight back stronger,” assures the Beerschot trainer. “I hope that we will come out of the rest period strengthened and players can recover.” This will be urgently needed, because including the cup match, these are Beerschot’s first opponents in 2025: Anderlecht, Antwerp, Club Brugge, Union and Genk.
If things go seriously wrong in those posters with the top teams this time, Beerschot risks being mentally exhausted at the beginning of February. Doesn’t that tough program inspire fear? “No, not necessarily. Then you can play on the counter and then we can score some goals,” defender Brian Plat insists.
Beerschot hardly collects any points away from home
Plat also could not deny on Friday evening that OHL had the upper hand in midfield after the break and made the difference through its striker. “It is not at all in the group of players that it is difficult for us to score points away from home. It is also a shame that we have lost points in recent matches, because we desperately need them. We can still win plenty of matches, there are plenty more to come.” , Plat remains optimistic.
