Lierse, 2018/19 Belgian First League
So, year is off with a clearout. Everyone can go, who gets an offer.
19 players depart, including 10 from the senior team. 12 new guys brought in, including strong Russian international striker, Finnish wonderkid MC, Romanian international DC, Bulgarian international DR, Hungarian DRC. And complete overhaul in the scoring department, only last year's best scorer for the team remains. In comes Belgian Youngster of the Year, upcoming young Norwegian striker, and a very young Brazilian striker in the winter break.
We enjoy a brilliant start, winning frst 5 games in a trot, conceding no goals. Then Austrian goalie is injured, and we hit a slump. 2 losses in the championship, and Burghausen sweeps us out from the UEFA-cup qualifying. We fight hard to record two draws, and then we turn a match around at rivals Westerlo from 1-2 to 4-2 in the last 15 minutes.
That indicates complete turn of luck. We start winning again, not conceding in the next 10 matches (in total 931 minutes without a goal)
Winter break sees us and Club Brugge being runaway leaders. It's time to battle it out in the spring.
Injuries kick in, and I'm losing 2 strikers. Then 2 midfielders. Then my two goalies. Panicked that my 3rd choice 18-year old Lithuanian goalie won't cope, I get an experienced Danish one for free, and he does a decent job. In spite of the injury crisis, we go strong, but so does Club Brugge. They suddenly start losing (1 point in 3 games, no goals scored), and whoops! We're 8 points ahead, with 6 matches to go.
Round 29 : we lose to La Louviére (0-3), Bruges wins. 5 pts.
Round 30 : we win, they win. 5 pts
Round 31 : derby at Bruges. We get hammered. 1-4 :thdn: Only 2 pts.
Round 32 : We win over rivals Charleroi, they win over rivals Cercle. Still 2 pts.
Round 33 : We go to already-relegated hopeless Kortrijk. They collected an amazing 10 points so far (amazing that they even collected points...). Of course my captain starts the match with a silly challenge, resulting in a penalty. Scored. And we play **** all the way through, and deservedly lose 1-0. Bruges win. And I'm really ****ed with the team.
1 pts advantage to Brugge.
Round 34: Bruges travel to 11th Roeselare, we host 15th placed KVSK. Kinda given up hope.
Roeselare are playing insane, leading 2-0 after 30 minutes, evenually winning 3-0. We are invisible. A few chances in the first 15 mins, but nothing. Nothing. Nothing.
I'm really disappointed, try everything, but the team doesn't seem to have the edge. If we cannot win at least one from the last two games against relegation candidates, we desere to be stripped from the gold, I think.
93rd minute. Egyptian full-back with the throw-in. Playmaker passes it backwards to him. Cross. Belgian striker lifts off. (Best Youngster from last year,struggled with both form and injuries. No goals yet, that's for 1,4M - I bet he'll be worst signing :cool
Climbs over defender. Clever header starts falling...falling...falling into the right corner.
YESSSS!!!
Won the title in the very last minute, never had such an experience
Pos.: 1st (champions again)
P: 34 W: 22 D: 6 L: 6 55-21 72 pts
Cups sucked.
Belgian Cup
- Waregem 1-0 (H)
- KVSK 2-1 (H)
QF: - Kapellen 1-2 (A), 0-1 (H)
UEFA Cup
Brughausen (GER) 0-2 (A), 2-2 (H). No chance whatsoever.
Highlight: running Mouscroun 6-0 and Turnhout 5-1 into the ground
Lowlight: Kortrijk-fiasco, obviously. Plus the two dismal Burghausen matches.
Awards later.
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