On the fourteenth matchday of the regular competition, leader Club Brugge visited the Astridpark. Uros Spajic was ready for the match. Alexandru Chipciu and Hamdi Harbaoui received the trust of Coach Hein Vanhaezebrouck and were in the starting line-up. Frank Acheampong, on loan by the Purple & White to the Chinese Tianjin Teda, visited Anderlecht and took the kick-off. The game ended in a goalless draw, as a result it is still 19 years ago that Club Brugge was able to win at the Astridpark in the competition.
After four minutes in the first half, the visitors created their first opportunity. A header by Vossen after a long centre by Vormer ended up in the hands of Matz Sels. On the other side, Harbaoui missed. A few minutes later on, Diaby tried his luck for Club Brugge, but Sels made the save with a little bit of luck. From the corner that followed, Poulain’s opportunity went long. The Purple & White attacked, but did not score any goals. In the 22nd minute, the Astridpark cheered, but the 1-0 did not appear on the board. A shot from a distance by Kums ended up with Harbaoui in the rebound, he put the ball past Hubert. The linesman, however, unrightfully disallowed the goal because of offside. No big opportunities followed. Right before the end of the first half, Chipciu took a swing. The shot from a distance went wide. 0-0 at half-time.
The second half started eagerly. Limbombe’s shot from a distance went long by a metre. In the 55th minute, Pieter Gerkens had the chance to put in the opening goal thanks to Hanni, but the midfielder was not able to put the ball in. After an hour’s worth of play, Gerkens passed the ball to Harbaoui. The striker, however, was not able to score in the box, and Hubert made the save. Harbaoui had another chance, but his goal was disallowed because of offside, rightfully this time. In minute 85, the 1-0 seemed to be close. The Purple & White pushed through, and Gerkens passed Hubert, but Cools prevented a goal against at the last minute. After that, Gerkens reacted with a header, but the attempt went wide. During injury time, Dennis pushed through, but the striker’s attempt went across the goal. The match, then, ended in a goalless draw. After next week’s break for international matches, RSCA will play an away game against Moeskroen.
RSC Anderlecht : Matz Sels, Kara Mbodji, Uros Spajic, Ivan Obradovic (84' Lukasz Teodorczyk), Alexandru Chipciu (89' Dennis Appiah), Pieter Gerkens, Sven Kums, Adrien Trebel, Leander Dendoncker, Sofiane Hanni (70' Henry Onyekuru) & Hamdi Harbaoui
