RSC Anderlecht now know their opponent for the next round of the Croky Cup. The Purple & White will travel to face Beerschot in the round of 16, with the match scheduled for the 16th, 17th or 18th of October.
The draw was conducted on Monday by Wesley Sonck. "The innocent hand of Wesley Sonck pulled the 32 balls from the drum," said the former striker. It represents an immediate rematch for Anderlecht, who also visited Beerschot in the cup two seasons ago. The Antwerp-based club currently plays in the Challenger Pro League.
For Anderlecht, sitting fifth in the Jupiler Pro League with 13 points, the cup offers a chance to inject some positive momentum into their season. Their recent league form has been inconsistent, with one win, two draws and two losses in their last five matches. The next assignment is an away fixture against 17th-placed Cercle Brugge on October 10th. The last meeting between those two sides ended in a 2-3 defeat for Anderlecht.
Other ties
In other round of 16 ties, Club Brugge will host Lokeren, while Union Saint-Gilloise take on amateur side KFC Nijlen. KFC Nijlen and RSC Habay are the only teams without home advantage who do not play in the top flight. KV Kortrijk have already been eliminated after a penalty shootout loss to KSK Heist. Captain Brecht Dejaegere gave a downbeat assessment of that exit. "We lack desire and drive," said the 35-year-old.
The full schedule for all cup matches is now set. Anderlecht will look to complement their standings in the league with a strong cup run. Preparations for the Beerschot tie will begin after the international break, with October's fixtures now taking shape. The team will be keen to avoid a repeat of the heavy 5-1 defeat to Union Saint-Gilloise back in May. The match at the Olympisch Stadion will be played in the third week of October.
This story first appeared at HLN Voetbal
