Antwerp beats Cercle Brugge 3-1

BRUGGE. Antwerp conquers Cercle Brugge 3-1.

December 10, 2023

BRUGGE. Antwerp defeats Cercle Brugge 3-1. Antwerp got an early 2-0 lead with 2 goals from Jürgen Ekkelenkamp (20′) and Chidera Ejuke (57′). Cercle Brugge tried to recover with a goal from Kévin Denkey (70′). However, the match was closed by a goal (90′) scored by George Ilenikhena for Antwerp. Antwerp was surely superior in terms of ball possession (61%) and that was among the factors of its victory.

The match was played at the Jan Breydelstadion stadium in Brugge on Saturday and it started at 4:00 pm local time. The referee was Nathan Verboomen who was helped by Mathias Hillaert and Ruben Wyns. The 4th official was Massimiliano Ledda. The weather was moderate rain. The temperature was cold at 7.95 degrees Celsius or 46.31 Fahrenheit. The humidity was 91%.

Match Timeline

20'

Jurgen Ekkelenkamp(goal)Michel Ange Balikwisha

Edgaras Utkus- Yellow

38'

41'

Jesper Daland- Yellow

45'

57'

Chidera Ejuke(goal)Jürgen Ekkelenkamp

K. Olaigbe- sub ->Flávio Nazinho

63'

K. Denkey(goal)Thibo Somers

70'

J. Semedo Varela- sub ->Senna Miangue

72'

Christiaan Ravych- sub ->Alan Minda

73'

76'

77'

K. Corbanie- sub ->Ritchie De Laet

77'

George Ilenikhena- sub ->Vincent Janssen

Christiaan Ravych- Yellow

75'

81'

Alhassan Yusuf- sub ->Arthur Vermeeren

Thibo Somers - Yellow

86'

90'

Z. Van Den Bosch- sub ->Chidera Ejuke

90'

George Ilenikhena(goal)Alhassan Yusuf

90'

George Ilenikhena- Yellow

Standings

Team

Pts

Last 5

After playing this match, Cercle Brugge stays with 25 points like Genk to hold in the 7th place. On the opposite side, Antwerp will has 30 points to hold in the 4th place.

Next matches

In the next match in the Pro League, Cercle Brugge will play away with OH Leuven on the 16th of December with a 11-8 head to head in favor of OH Leuven (6 draws).

Antwerp will host Anderlecht on the 16th of December with a 8-4 head to head stats in favor of Anderlecht (7 draws).

Cercle Brugge – Formation

Cercle Brugge

Warleson 1.Brazil

7.7

Jesper Daland 4.Norway

6.3

45'

Boris Popovic 5.Serbia

6.3

Senna Miangue 18.Belgium

6.8

72'

H. Siquet 41.Belgium

7.0

Edgaras Utkus 3.Lithuania

6.4

41'

38'

A. Minda 11.Ecuador

7.0

73'

Nazinho 20.Portugal

6.1

63'

Nils De Wilde 27.Belgium

6.7

Thibo Somers 34.Belgium

7.5

86'

K. Denkey 9.Togo

6.8

70'

Substitutes

Maxime Delanghe 21.Belgium

Christiaan Ravych 66.Belgium

6.4

73'

75'

J. Lietaert 76.Belgium

J. Semedo Varela 77.France

6.6

72'

Yann Gboho 10.France

6.7

41'

K. Olaigbe 19.Belgium

6.8

63'

Romaric Etonde 32.France

Cercle Brugge started with an extremely aggressive line-up (3-4-3).

The manager Miron Muslić decided to play with the following team: Warleson (7.7), Hugo Siquet (7.0), Boris Popović (6.3), Jesper Daland (6.3), Senna Miangue (6.8), Nils De Wilde (6.7), Edgaras Utkus (6.4), Alan Minda (7.0), Thibo Somers (7.5), Flávio Nazinho (6.1) and Kévin Denkey (6.8).

The home team had on the bench: Yann Gboho (6.7), Kazeem Olaigbe (6.8), Maxime Delanghe, Romaric Etonde, Christiaan Ravych (6.4), Jonas Lietaert and Jordan Varela (6.6).

Cercle Brugge could not rely on the presence of Yann Gboho (injured).

Substitutions

Cercle Brugge made 4 changes: Edgaras Utkus for Yann Gboho (41′), Flávio Nazinho for Kazeem Olaigbe (63′), Alan Minda for Christiaan Ravych (73′) and Senna Miangue for Jordan Varela (73′).

Player of the match: Warleson

The most impressive player for Cercle Brugge was the goalkeeper: Warleson. His rating is 7.65. He performed 6 saves.

Antwerp – Formation

Antwerp

Jean Butez 1.France

7.0

Ritchie De Laet 2.Belgium

7.1

77'

Owen Wijndal 5.Netherlands

6.7

Toby Alderweireld 23.Belgium

7.5

Soumaïla Coulibaly 44.France

7.3

Michel-Ange Balikwisha 10.Belgium

7.7

Chidera Ejuke 19.Nigeria

8.1

90'

57'

Jurgen Ekkelenkamp 24.Netherlands

8.1

76'

20'

Mandela Keita 27.Belgium

7.1

Arthur Vermeeren 48.Belgium

7.0

81'

Vincent Janssen 18.Netherlands

6.4

77'

Substitutes

S. Lammens 91.Belgium

Z. Van Den Bosch 33.Belgium

6.8

90'

K. Corbanie 52.Belgium

7.0

77'

Alhassan Yusuf 8.Nigeria

7.0

81'

Gyrano Kerk 7.Netherlands

George Ilenikhena 9.France

7.9

77'

90'

A. Muja 11.Albania

6.8

76'

Antwerp started with a 4-2-3-1 line-up (4-2-3-1).

Mark van Bommel played with: Jean Butez (7.0), Ritchie De Laet (7.1), Toby Alderweireld (7.5), Soumaila Coulibaly (7.3), Owen Wijndal (6.7), Arthur Vermeeren (7.0), Mandela Keita (7.1), Michel Ange Balikwisha (7.7), Jürgen Ekkelenkamp (8.1), Chidera Ejuke (8.1) and Vincent Janssen (6.4).

The following players were sitting on the bench: Gyrano Kerk, Alhassan Yusuf (7.0), George Ilenikhena (7.9), Arbnor Muja (6.8), Zeno Van Den Bosch (6.8), Kobe Corbanie (7.0) and Senne Lammens.

Substitutions

Antwerp made 5 changes: Arthur Vermeeren for Alhassan Yusuf (81′), Jürgen Ekkelenkamp for Arbnor Muja (76′), Ritchie De Laet for Kobe Corbanie (77′), Vincent Janssen for George Ilenikhena (77′) and Chidera Ejuke for Zeno Van Den Bosch (90′).