Mechelen overcomes Westerlo after recovering from a 0-2 deficit

MECHELEN. Mechelen had a spectacular comeback against Westerlo.

April 14, 2024

MECHELEN. Mechelen had a astounding comeback against Westerlo. Mechelen was surely superior in terms of ball possession (64%) and that was among the factors of its victory.

The match was played at the AFAS-stadion Achter de Kazerne stadium in Mechelen on Saturday and it started at 6:15 pm local time. The referee was Arthur Denil with the help of Kevin Dhondt and Nicolas Maszowez. The 4th official was Klass Clerkx. The weather was overcast clouds. The temperature was pleasant at 20.75 degrees Celsius or 69.35 Fahrenheit. The humidity was 62%.

Match Statistics

Mechelen

3 - 2

Westerlo

! 64 Ball Possession 36

Shots

23 Total 14
6 On Target 7
13 Off Target 6
5 Shots blocked 1

121 Attack 68
69 Dangerous attack 32
0 Ball safe 0

0 Penalties 0
13 Corners 5
3 Off Sides 2

Fouls

13 Total 7
1 Yellow Cards 2
0 Double Yellow 0
0 Red Card 1

Other

5 Substitutions 5

Ball possession

Mechelen had a strong ball possession 64% while Westerlo was struggling with a 36% ball possession.

Attitude and shots

Mechelen was more aggressive with 69 dangerous attacks and 23 shots of which 6 were on target. This is one of the reasons why Mechelen won the match.

Mechelen shot 23 times, 6 on target, 13 off target. Talking about the opposition, Westerlo shot 14 times, 7 on target, 6 off target.

Cards

Mechelen received 1 yellow card (Norman Bassette). Talking about the opposition, Westerlo received 4 yellow cards (Nicolas Madsen, Nicolas Madsen, T. Rommens and R. Vermant).

Match Timeline

27'

J. Alcócer(goal)G. Yow

29'

R. Vermant(goal)T. Rommens

45'

R. Vermant- Yellow

45'

R. Vermant(yellowredcard)

45'

T. Rommens- Yellow

Bilal Bafdili- sub ->Ngal\'ayel Mukau

46'

Nikola Storm- sub ->Patrick Pflücke

46'

Sandy Walsh - sub ->Munashe Garananga

46'

Elias Cobbaut(goal)

56'

61'

Roman Neustädter- sub ->G. Yow

61'

Sergiy Sydorchuk- sub ->M. Frigan

61'

Kyan Vaesen- sub ->J. Alcócer

Islam Slimani(goal)Nikola Storm

66'

Norman Bassette- sub ->Geoffry Hairemans

83'

Boli Bolingoli- sub ->Daam Foulon

83'

90'

Edisson Jordanov- sub ->T. Rommens

90'

R. Tagir(own-goal)

90'

Nicolas Madsen- Yellow

90'

Allahyar Sayyadmanesh- sub ->Nicolas Madsen

90'

Nicolas Madsen- Yellow

Norman Bassette- Yellow

90'

Standings

Team

Pts

Last 5

After this encounter, Mechelen has 45 points to sit in the 8th place. Regarding the opposition, Westerlo will stays with 30 points like Club Brugge to remain in the 11th place.

Next matches

Mechelen – Formation

Mechelen

Gaëtan Coucke 1.Belgium

7.5

Elias Cobbaut 22.Belgium

7.8

56'

David Bates 27.Scotland

7.3

Munashe Garananga 42.Zimbabwe

6.0

46'

Geoffry Hairemans 7.Belgium

7.7

83'

Rob Schoofs 16.Belgium

7.3

Kerim Mrabti 19.Sweden

7.1

Daam Foulon 23.Belgium

7.5

83'

Ngal'ayel Mukau 34.Belgium

6.4

46'

Patrick Pflücke 77.Germany

7.5

46'

Islam Slimani 13.Algeria

7.3

66'

Substitutes

Yannick Thoelen 15.Belgium

O. Annell 31.Belgium

Sandy Walsh 5.Indonesia

7.0

46'

Boli Bolingoli 21.Belgium

7.0

83'

Jannes Van Hecke 6.Belgium

Mory Konaté 8.Guinea

Bilal Bafdili 35.Belgium

6.8

46'

Nikola Storm 11.Belgium

8.2

46'

Lion Lauberbach 20.Germany

Norman Bassette 70.Belgium

6.8

83'

90'

Mechelen started with a 5-3-2 line-up (5-3-2).

The manager Besnik Hasi decided to play with the following team: Gaëtan Coucke (7.5), Munashe Garananga (6.0), David Bates (7.3), Elias Cobbaut (7.8), Patrick Pflücke (7.5), Ngal’ayel Mukau (6.4), Rob Schoofs (7.3), Daam Foulon (7.5), Geoffry Hairemans (7.7), Kerim Mrabti (7.1) and Islam Slimani (7.3).

The home team had on the bench: Sandy Walsh (7.0), Jannes Van Hecke, Mory Konaté, Nikola Storm (8.2), Yannick Thoelen, Lion Lauberbach, Boli Bolingoli (7.0), O. Annell, Bilal Bafdili (6.8) and Norman Bassette (6.8).

Substitutions

Mechelen made 5 changes: Ngal’ayel Mukau for Bilal Bafdili (46′), Patrick Pflücke for Nikola Storm (46′), Munashe Garananga for Sandy Walsh (46′), Geoffry Hairemans for Norman Bassette (83′) and Daam Foulon for Boli Bolingoli (83′).

Player of the match: Nikola Storm

Following our analysis, the most impressive player for Mechelen was Nikola Storm even if he didn’t score any goal.

His rating is 8.2 with 20 passes (79% accurate) and 2 key passes. He performed 11 crosses.

His performance was fantastic also because he began the contest from the bench before entering in the 46′.

Westerlo – Formation

Westerlo

Sinan Bolat 1.Turkey

6.8

B. Reynolds 22.United States

6.4

R. Tagir 24.Turkey

7.1

T. Rommens 25.Belgium

7.1

90'

45'

A. Piedfort 46.Belgium

6.7

Doğucan Haspolat 6.Netherlands

6.7

Nicolas Madsen 8.Denmark

7.3

90'

G. Yow 18.United States

7.5

61'

J. Alcócer 77.Costa Rica

7.5

61'

27'

M. Frigan 9.Croatia

6.8

61'

R. Vermant 17.Belgium

6.3

45'

29'

Substitutes

Koen Van Langendonck 30.Belgium

Edisson Jordanov 32.Bulgaria

90'

Sergiy Sydorchuk 15.Ukraine

6.8

61'

Karol Borys 28.Poland

Roman Neustädter 33.Russia

6.6

61'

Thomas Van den Keybus 39.Belgium

Kyan Vaesen 14.Belgium

6.4

61'

Lucas Stassin 76.Belgium

Allahyar Sayyadmanesh 90.Iran

90'

Westerlo started with a conservative line-up (4-4-2).

Rik Demil played with: Sinan Bolat (6.8), B. Reynolds (6.4), A. Piedfort (6.7), R. Tagir (7.1), T. Rommens (7.1), G. Yow (7.5), Nicolas Madsen (7.3), Doğucan Haspolat (6.7), J. Alcócer (7.5), M. Frigan (6.8) and R. Vermant (6.3).

The following players were sitting on the bench: Kyan Vaesen (6.4), Sergiy Sydorchuk (6.8), Karol Borys, Koen Van Langendonck, Edisson Jordanov, Roman Neustädter (6.6), Thomas Van den Keybus, Lucas Stassin and Allahyar Sayyadmanesh.

Westerlo could not rely on the presence of Sergiy Sydorchuk (injured) and Edisson Jordanov (injured).

Substitutions

Westerlo made 5 changes: G. Yow for Roman Neustädter (61′), M. Frigan for Sergiy Sydorchuk (61′), J. Alcócer for Kyan Vaesen (61′), T. Rommens for Edisson Jordanov (90′) and Nicolas Madsen for Allahyar Sayyadmanesh (90′).