Anderlecht secured a much-needed victory in the Jupiler Pro League with a 0-1 win away to KV Mechelen. A goal from newcomer Tawfik Bentayeb just before halftime proved enough for the Brussels side to take all three points, a result that keeps them in 11th place with seven points from five games.
Manager Brian Riemer's side started with Ilias Koutsoupias as the only new signing in the lineup. It was the Greek who, after a move initiated by Antman down the left, provided the cross that Bentayeb headed home in the 43rd minute. That strike came against the run of play in a first half where the hosts created little danger.
Deep defending after the break
After the break, Anderlecht opted for a deep defensive block and relied on counter-attacks. KV Mechelen, who had signed new players Michez and Decherf this week, searched for an equaliser but found little space against the central defence of Pétrôt, Biancone and Omobamidele. Goalkeeper Coosemans kept out a headed chance from Marsa and later efforts from Raman and Antonio.
The biggest controversy arose when Antonio appeared to be brought down in the penalty area. Referee Lawrence Visser, however, did not point to the spot, much to the anger of the home side. Vanderbiest was even booked for his protests. "No, no, it's simply a choice to go down from the Zimbabwean," the Mechelen coach said afterwards about the incident.
Context of the win
The win is primarily important due to the current standings. Anderlecht now sit 11th with seven points, eight points behind leaders Gent. Recent form shows a mixed picture with three wins, a draw and one defeat in the last five league matches. The previous meeting with Mechelen also ended in a 0-1 victory for the Brussels side.
For the hosts, who had only two points from eighteen matches, this was another disappointment. They lost 4-0 to Westerlo earlier in the week. Despite the debut of Simion Michez, who was a positive note, Mechelen failed to break the deadlock.
Anderlecht can now look ahead to their next fixture, a home game against Zulte Waregem on September 19th. That opponent currently sits fifth, promising another tough test. The full schedule can be found on the fixtures page.
The team must still manage without the injured Lucas Hey. The squad build and available players can be tracked via the squad overview. The three points from Mechelen do provide a much-needed boost for the coming weeks as the league campaign resumes in full.
