A sold-out Heysel, two traditional clubs and wonderful spring weather. All the ingredients were there to make it one big football party on Ascension Day in what was the third cup final in five years for Antwerp and the first in 110 (!) years for Union.
That it would come down to details and that it would be a closed final, according to Alessio Castro-Montes. He was the only Limburger to kick off in this final battle, and by extension the only fellow member of the province on the score sheet.
De Truienaar was right, because this final was synonymous with a lot of struggle and nervousness, but little danger on goal. Union was unable to convert their dominance into goals before half-time, with Antwerp Ekkelenkamp coming closest with a bang against the post.
Match winner Koki Machida. — © Isosport
Machida breaks open the final
Just when both teams were preparing to enter the locker room with a scoreline, the opening goal was scored. Van Den Bosch unfortunately extended a Union corner kick towards the far post, where Machida only had to poke it in. The Japanese scored the 1-0 and the Heysel exploded, at least half of it.
The second half also disappointed the neutral fans, but the Antwerp and Union supporters watched intently for 90 minutes. “We had to constantly fight for every ball,” Castro-Montes said afterwards. “We didn’t start the second half well, but our defenders did a great job. We gave up, but the end result counts. This is a deserved victory.”
Antwerp fans almost literally set the Heysel on fire. — © BELGA
Worked well together
Machida’s goal ultimately proved to be enough to decide this final. “I didn’t think and tried to stay calm when I kicked,” laughed the Japanese match winner in broken English. “I have won prizes in Japan before, but that was not as a title holder. Now I was on the field in the final, so the experience is very different. This is the best moment in my career. We have worked hard for this. It became tense at the end, but we held on as a team.”
‘Allez Union!’, the decibels reached unprecedented heights in the King Baudouin Stadium when ref Erik Lambrechts ended this final and with it an 89-year drought for Union. The Truiense Union CEO Philippe Bormans and with him the frenzied yellow-blue legion entered into a long night of celebration. “We finally have something tangible in our hands,” Bormans briefly noted. “We have already become vice champions, third once and we are still in the title race. Hopefully this award will be the first of many.”
Coach Blessin with his children. — © BELGA
Historical
“There is an enormous pressure off our shoulders,” Castro-Montes also sounded clearly relieved. “Not only for the entire team, but also for the city, the board and the supporters. Now we can start the last three matches and still go for the title. Monday (after the match against Club Brugge, ed). we will know if we really still have a chance of winning the double. In any case, I am happy to be part of this group that has achieved something historic.”
The offensively underdeveloped Antwerp was left with nothing but disappointment after the narrow defeat. Last year The Great Old won the double, now it is left empty-handed. “This is a big disappointment,” captain Toby Alderweireld did not hide his disappointment. “We have been working towards this for a long time and really wanted to win. It is very sad when you lose after a goal on a stationary phase.”
Ex-STVV coach Chris O’Louhlin sets out the sporting lines at Union. — © BELGA
ANTWERP: Lammens, De Laet, Alderweireld, Van Den Bosch, Wijndal, Kerk, Keita, Ekkelenkamp, Matazo, Balikwisha, Janssen.
UNION: Moris, MacAllister, Burgess, Machida, Castro-Montes, Vanhoutte, Doors, Rasmussen, Lapoussin, Amoura, Nilsson.
SUBSTITUTIONS: 73′ De Laet by Bataille; 73′ Matazo by Yusuf; 73′ Church by Eyuke; 80′ Lapoussin by Sykes; 80′ Nilsson by Rodriguez; 84′ Rasmussen by Sadiki; 86′ Wijndal by Coulibaly; 86′ Ekkelenkamp by Ilenikhena; 90+5 Amoura by Amani.
YELLOW CARDS: 24′ Amoura; 30’Matazo; 55′ Janssen; 68′ Burgess; 88′ Van Den Bosch; 90+1′ Morris.
GOALS: 45+1′ Machida 1-0.
© BELGIUM