For the third time this season, Standard was behind and lost in the end. In Kortrijk (1-0) and OH Louvain (2-0), the Rouches were unable to at least equalize. They were able to do it against Westerlo, from the penalty spot, and almost a second time, if Price’s strike, in the 88th minute, had been decisive. But Sinan Bolat made a decisive save which extinguished the last hopes. The paradox of this defeat is that Standard has undoubtedly had its best offensive stats since the start of the season. Standard finished the match in a 4-3-3, with… Camara on the left and Calut on the right, and the three attackers Eckert-Benjdida-Badamosi. But nothing happened.
A forward play that put the rear in difficulty
Ivan Leko’s instructions appeared quite clear at the start of the meeting. The idea was to press forward and bring people into the opposing final third. But this desire to play higher caused a constant imbalance in the middle, where Westerlo combined more easily to break the lines, like the first goal where a succession of errors and delays allowed Frigan to open the mark. A few similar situations were observed and the second goal, a minute after the equalizer, was a counter-attack where Frigan, again, was able to count on the excess of local enthusiasm to conclude a 3 against 3 which did not should never have happened.
Les Rouches score more from the penalty spot
Ilay Camara caused his second penalty of the season and it was Andi Zeqiri, five minutes after the foul was called, who converted it. The VAR requested the intervention of Mr. Van Driessche so that he could confirm Reynolds’ fault on the Rouche left-back. Of the five goals scored this season, three were from the penalty spot.
Ngoy replaced at half-time by… Calut
Faulty, like others, on the first goal for having let Frigan pass, Nathan Ngoy was replaced at rest. The defender, who had hit the post following a corner, and had been the author of a first period marked by some inaccuracies, felt muscle discomfort. The choice to replace him was more physical than tactical, but what may have surprised him was the identity of the replacement. Alexandro Calut has indeed taken his place in the defensive trio. The left-back thus passed in front of Lucas Noubi.
The technical sheet
Referee: Bram Van Driessche
Yellow cards: Haspolat, Bos, Bolat, O’Neill, Sayyadmanseh, Devine
Buts : Frigan (0-1, 6e) ; Zeqiri (1-1, sur penalty 63e) ; Frigan (1-2, 64e)
STANDARD : Epolo; Sutalo, Hautekiet, Ngoy (46e Calut) ; Fossey (86e Badamosi), O’Neill, Kuavita (64e Price), Bulat (74e Alexandropoulos), Camara ; Zeqiri (74e Benjdida), Eckert
WESTERLO : Bolat; Bayram, Vuskovic, Rommens ; Reynolds, Haspolat, Devine, Bos ; Alcocer (84e Piedfort), Sayyadmanseh, Frigan (90e+ 3 Van den Keybus)
