Royal Antwerp booked a late victory in the Jupiler Pro League on Sunday afternoon. For a long time, the team of coach Mark van Bommel faced a backlog against Cercle Brugge, but in the final phase the home team turned it around: 2-1. Boris Popovic unintentionally scored the equalizer with a crazy own goal. Toby Alderweireld then gave Antwerp the full spoils from the penalty spot in the final phase. Number three Antwerp narrows the gap to number two Union Sint-Gillis to three points. Cercle is tenth.
Vincent Janssen made his comeback at Antwerp. The striker was struggling with a calf injury and therefore had to miss the last two games. However, Janssen was fit enough to start again on Sunday and the attacker was supported in his back by Calvin Stengs. The game came too early for the injured Jurgen Ekkelenkamp, while Gyrano Kerk started on the bench.
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Janssen created the first danger of the match by testing the reflexes of Cercle goalkeeper Radoslaw Majecki with a shot. A few moments later, the Pole again had an answer to a shot from Janssen. Antwerp was clearly the parent in the opening phase, but Cercle managed to get through it unscathed. In fact, just before half-time, the visitors took the lead. Yann Gboho brought the ball to Dino Hotic, who in turn managed to pass Jean Butez: 0-1. Van Bommel intervened and brought Kerk into the field at the start of the second half.
The Dutchman saw how Cercle had the better of the game after the break. However, shots from Ghobo, Thibo Somers and Ayase Ueda, among others, did not reach the target. On behalf of Antwerp, Arthur Vermeeren saw his placed shot go just wide and Janssen saw his shot shave the post. The former the Dutch striker was taken to the side twenty minutes before the end and from the bench he saw how it hit Antwerp two minutes later. Popovic tried to clear a corner kick on the line, but saw to his disbelief that the ball ended up in his own goal: 1-1. Ten minutes before the end, Antwerp received a penalty after hands from Somers. Alderweireld took his responsibility and did not fail: 2-1.