Anderlecht faced AS Saint-Étienne twice this Saturday, and won twice. However, the smile may not be there: the RSCA lost Vincent Kompany due to injury.
The Mauves will not smile despite a very good performance and a victory (1-2) on the lawn of Geoffroy-Guichard: Anderlecht won, but lost its captain and leader Vincent Kompany out shortly before the hour of play by holding the adductors. A blow if the Red Devil were to miss several weeks of competition, a few weeks before the resumption of Pro League.
Starting 11 for the 1st match (15:30): Hendrik Van Crombrugge, Vincent Kompany, Michel Vlap, Elias Cobbaut, Peter Zulj, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Jeremy Doku, Killian Sardella, Amir Murillo, Kemar Roofe & Zakaria Bakkali #ASSEAND
– RSC Anderlecht (@rscanderlecht) July 18, 2020
However, RSC Anderlecht can rejoice in the match as such: lively, hard-hitting, the people of Brussels took Saint-Étienne by the throat quite quickly, stirring Doku quickly obtaining a penalty calmly transformed by Michel Vlap (18th, 0- 1). Three minutes earlier, Zakaria Bakkal had found the post with a nice curled shot.
Sardella and Cobbaut in difficulty, but an attractive Anderlecht
ASSE, in full preparation for the Coupe de France final, was not to be outdone, however: Hamouma and Boudebouz, elusive, made Sardella and Murillo dance on the flanks, then Cobbaut in the axis; already at fault for a free kick saved by Van Crombrugge, Elias Cobbaut will then cause a penalty which Boudebouz will transform (1-1, 45th).
In the second half (the meetings lasted 75 minutes), the Greens, better in rhythm, will logically gain the upper hand: Cobbaut must save a ball on his line, Hamouma strikes next … and the worst happens when Vincent Kompany has to go out for Milic at the hour of play. Kemar Roofe, who had gradually lost in precision during the meeting, may make the 1-2, Franky Vercauteren will not smile …
Even the eleven “bis” wins
Vercauteren will line up a completely different eleven for the second meeting, including newcomers Takidine and Wellenreuther, but also Adrien Trebel. This eleven “bis” (even if we also found there, among others, Yari Verschaeren) will quickly gain the advantage via Hannes Delcroix (3rd, 0-1).
Starting 11 for the 2nd match: Timon Wellenreuther, Landry Dimata, Luka Adzic, Adrien Trebel, Ilias Takidine, Derrick Luckassen, Edo Kayembe, Hannes Delcroix, Anouar Ait El Hadj, Yari Verschaeren & Marco Kana #ASSEAND– RSC Anderlecht (@rscanderlecht) July 18, 2020
And in a second, more domineering match from AS Saint-Étienne, RSCA will show that the Kompany “project” is not limited to the presence of the captain or to eleven players, but to the group: the outings purple defense impress, well launched by a Wellenreuther which we understand the arrival in view of his quality footwork.
Up front, it’s a little less impactful than in the first half, but Adzic and Ait El-Hadj manage to create chances. Dimata, in particular, passed very close to 0-2 on a cross from Anouar Ait El-Hadj. However, it will require an intervention from Luckassen, very solid, and several stops from Timon Wellenreuther to keep the score, before a post from Moukoudi in the 75th … followed by the final whistle. Two victories against an opponent preparing for the most important game of his season: despite the loss of Kompany, there are (a lot) of positives to take away from this visit to Saint-Étienne.