Anderlecht swoop for second

By Berend Scholten

Club Brugge KV strengthened their grasp on the Belgian First Division with an emphatic victory, while RSC Anderlecht could join them in the UEFA Champions League next season after edging R. Standard de Liège in a five-goal thriller.

Last-gasp winner
Karel Geraerts looked to have earned his side a share of the spoils with an 89th-minute equaliser to make it 2-2. But there was still time for Hannu Tihinen to steal all three points and help Anderlecht open up an eight-point lead over their rivals.

Geraerts double
Geraerts' goal was his second equaliser of the game after earlier cancelling out Vincent Kompany' powerful 21st-minute drive on the half-hour mark. Aruna Dindane restored Anderlecht's lead 16 minutes before the final whistle, before Geraerts' second of the night sparked off the late drama.

Brugge saunter
The three points did not make a dent in Brugge's lead at the summit, however, after Gert Verheyen and Nastja Ceh both scored twice in a 6-0 victory against KFC Germinal Beerschot Antwerpen. Early goals from Ceh and Rune Lange had already made it 2-0 by the time Germinal's uphill task became more vertical with the 31st-minute dismissal of Dickson Agyeman.

Genk grind win
Verheyen made it 4-0 with two headed goals before the interval then Ceh and captain Timmy Simons made it six in the second half as Brugge cruised to victory. KRC Genk found it harder going against KAA Gent, but Kevin Vandenbergh's goal just after the hour proved enough to seal a narrow win and sidle alongside Standard in third.

Charleroi victory
R. Charleroi SC are fifth after early strikes from Orlando and Izzet Akgül earned an easy 2-0 victory against R. Excelsior Mouscron, while KSC Lokeren OV and K. Lierse SK defeated KSK Beveren and KSV Cercle Brugge respectively by the same scoreline.

Relegation reshuffle
KV Oostende climbed off the foot of the table with a 1-0 win courtesy of Marco Nijs' 24th-minute strike against FC Molenbeek Brussels Strombeek that consigns their opponents to last place. RAEC Mons also rise a place at the expense of Brussels after a 3-2 victory against KVC Westerlo, while Egon Wisniowski helped ease K. Sint-Truidense VV's relegation worries with two goals in a 2-1 victory against RAA Louviéroise.