Brilliant Brugge battle back

By Berend Scholten

Club Brugge KV moved 15 points clear at the top of the Belgian First Division with a 2-1 defeat of city rivals KSV Cercle Brugge after RSC Anderlecht dropped points for a second week running and were leapfrogged into second by KRC Genk.

Super substitute
Brugge had to come from behind to win, however, after Dieter Dekelver headed the unfancied home team into the lead. It was 16 minutes from time before Rune Lange restored parity and Cercle's hard work was ruined when 19-year-old Brugge substitute Jeanvion Yulu Matondo opened his senior goalscoring account a minute later to snatch all three points for his team.

Late leveller
Nenad Jestrovic’s 87th-minute goal against K. Lierse SK saved Anderlecht's new coach Franky Vercautern from a second successive defeat. Lierse took the lead when Lamine Traore deflected Laurent Fassotte’s effort into his own net on 14 minutes. Things got worse for the champions when Aruna Dindane was sent off after an hour and then Jestrovic missed a penalty with 13 minutes left, before making amends late on.

Genk second
Genk capitalised on the slip as they edged a five-goal thriller against KVC Westerlo. Although Tom Soetaers put Genk in front, Peter Utaka and Chris Janssens turned the game around before half-time. The home side then had Sayfo Soley dismissed on 64 minutes, but rallied to victory as Kevin Van den Bergh scored twice against his former club to lift Genk two points clear of Anderlecht.

Rivals close
A point behind are R. Charleroi SC, who won 1-0 thanks to an own goal from RAEC Mons’ Ivan Milas. R. Standard de Liège follow, with a point less after drawing 0-0 at KSV Lokeren OV, for whom Lezou Doba was dismissed. Elsewhere, KAA Genk beat KSK Beveren 1-0 to earn their first win since 3 December and R. Excelsior Mouscron drew 1-1 with RAA Louviéroise.

Two coaches dismissed
KV Oostende went level on points with Mons after winning a third successive match thanks to an Eric Joly penalty in added-time against K. Sint Truidense VV, who sacked coach Marc Wilmots after the game. Bottom-side FC Molenbeek Brussels Strombeek also won, having dismissed coach Emilio Ferrara on Saturday. They defeated KFC Germinal Beerschot Antwerpen 2-1 courtesy of Kristof Snelders and a Richard Culek penalty. Daniel Cruz halved the deficit with 15 minutes left, by which time Brussels’ Fritz Emeran had been sent off.