Yes, there was pressure on in Lier. Not winning six matches in a row and last weekend a complete failure at RSCA Futures. It had been exactly two months since the Pallieters had tasted victory. Figures that even imbued the ever-peaceful Lierse SK with some nervousness. Sports manager Jonathan Kindermans had reminded the troops of their duties earlier this week, and some players had stood up. And so on Friday evening in the AsterX Group-f Arena it was D-day for the people of Lieren to avert a crisis.
Coach Christophe Grégoire did not do much tinkering with his team. Only the more experienced Victor Daguin was preferred to Noah Mawete in midfield. But not so much the player material, but the mentality had to be different at yellow-black. Back to basics, that’s what it was all about at Lisp.
“Immediately after the break, the home team seemed to be on a roll. Mpanzu took the lead, Adinany worked inside. Loot in, it seemed, but then Lierse showed again why they are masters in making things difficult for themselves.”
Lierse also got off to a pretty good start. Claes soon shot a falling ball onto Lejoly’s fists and put the Liège goalkeeper to work again with a treacherous free kick. Just after fifteen minutes, local enthusiasm even led to an opening goal, when Mpanzu neatly headed Da Costa’s cross into the goal. Lierse pressed on, but Marijnissen aimed narrowly wide after a poorly cleared corner kick. With peace in sight, the Pallieters seemed to be in a good mood when Atteri was shown a red card. The Liège attacker had already earned it after two minutes after a sharp and vicious elbow to Perdichizzi. With Sow’s attempts over goal and Claes’ shot narrowly wide, the home team went into halftime with a deserved lead.
On roses
Immediately after the break, the home team seemed to be on a roll. Mpanzu pulled ahead, Adinany simply worked inside. Loot in, it seemed, but just then Lierse showed again why they are masters at making things difficult for themselves. Peersman committed an unnecessary penalty foul, Mouhli scored the penalty. And so back to a real match and above all a lot of yellow-black nervousness.
Jonathan D’Ostilio of Liège in a duel with Bryan Adinany. — © BELGIUM
“With a difficult away match at SK Beveren and a closing of the year at home against Lommel, yellow-black now have two tough challenges ahead”
Although the Pallieters still had quite a few opportunities to put the evening into final shape early. Mpanzu saw his attempt deflected off the line by Lambot, Sow found Lejoly in his path. Boone headed a corner against the crossbar and Claes aimed again at Lejoly in the final phase. But on the other side we also continued to watch out for the fatal counter-shot, which hung in the air until the final whistle, but was ultimately omitted.
And so the much-awaited first victory in two months for Lierse, which once again makes the Pallieters look to the top rather than to the basement of the Challenger Pro League. But the main lesson in Lier is that points in the second professional series of this country are largely won on mentality and fighting spirit. With a difficult away match at SK Beveren and a close of the year at home against Lommel, yellow and black now face two tough challenges to acquire a favorable starting position in the rankings for the return round.
LIERSE SK: Peersman, Marijnissen, Boone, Perdichizzi, Da Costa, Mpanzu, Daguin (73′ Matuta), Claes, Kireev (80′ El Touile), Sow, Adinany.
FC LIEGE: Lejoly, Marzo (45′ Pierrot), Lambot, Ngawa, Cascio (63′ Bruggeman), Lucker, Lioka Lima, Merlen (46′ D’Ostillo), Lefbvre (63′ Arslani), Mouhli, Atteri.
GOALS: 19’ Mpanzu 1-0, 48’ Adinany 2-0, 62’ Mouhli (strafschop) 2-1.
YELLOW CARDS: 5′ Marzo, 28′ Kireev, 45′ Claes, 49′ Daguin, 61’Lambot, 68′ Mouhli, 69′ Adinany, 82′ Boone, 92′ Da Costa.
RED CARDS: 38′ Attri
REFEREE: Simonini.
SPECTATORS: 4.000.
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