Brugge capitalise on Anderlecht slip

By Berend Scholten

Club Brugge KV extended their lead at the top of the Eerste Klasse to nine points after second-placed RSC Anderlecht were held to a 2-2 draw in an enthralling match at K. Sint Truidense VV.

Gifted goals
The match appeared to be going to form when Aruna Dindane gave the visitors the lead on 15 minutes, but a fumble from goalkeeper Tristan Peersman allowed Mathieu Béda to regain parity on 26 minutes. Mbo Mpzenza restored the lead immediately and Anderlecht looked to be coasting to victory until 16 minutes from time when another error, this time from their defence, allowed Samuel Ipoua to score past Jan Van Steenberghe, a half-time replacement for Peersman.

Lange decisive
The result allowed Brugge to stretch their lead at the top as Rune Lange's 64th-minute strike proved sufficient to defeat KAA Gent. The encounter between the sides lying third and fourth, R. Charleroi SC and R. Standard de Liège, ended in stalemate, allowing KRC Genk to leapfrog them both.

Genk ascent
Genk were forced to battle hard against an R. Excelsior Mouscron side currently languishing in the bottom half of the table. Nenad Stojanovic did give them the lead on 12 minutes, but a Koen De Vleeschauwer equaliser five minutes before half-time looked to have given Mouscron a share of the spoils. With the game seemingly drifting towards a 1-1 draw, however, Orlando Engelaar scored a winner a minute from the final whistle.

Brahami double
The goals in the 2-2 draw between KSV Cercle Brugge and RAA Louviéroise came much earlier, with Fodel Brahami scoring twice, either side of strikes from Darko Pivaljevic and Harold Meyssen, all before the interval. Elsewhere, K. Lierse SK won 3-0 to leapfrog opponents KVC Westerlo in to the top half of the table. Kristof Imschoot, Archie Thompson and Laurent Delorge were all on target, while Westerlo had Mario Verheyen sent off.

Mons victory
Traoure Boubacar was also dismissed as KSK Beveren slipped to a shock 4-0 defeat at home against RAEC Mons. The side lying second from bottom scored through Ivan Milas and Marco Ingrao, while Mohamed Aliyu Datti added two more. The three points enabled them to close the gap to 16th-placed FC Brussels, who lost 2-1 at home against KSC Lokeren OV. The match between KV Oostende and KFC Germinal Beerschot Antwerpen ended 0-0.