KSC Lokeren keeps hopes for Europe League alive defeating Clubbe Brugge

With Anderlecht and Standard de Liège running away from the rest of the table, the race in Belgium is for the all-important third and four spots which come with a Europa League berth. Holding down third place, Club Brugge missed a perfect chance to add insurance points in the final three weeks of the campaign as as they fell 3-2 to KSC Lokeren.

Aleksandar Janković's Lokeren side took the lead ten minutes in as Dawid Janczyk, on-loan from CSKA Moskva, was played in alone and lifted the ball above on rushing 'keeper Stijn Stijnen. After Club Brugge missed a number of high probability scoring chances the margin was doubled nine minutes later as Killian Overmeire received a long diagonal cross on the right side of the box and after bringing the ball down with control, pounded it into the back of the net. Club Brugge's chances for a recovery were further challenged as they were forced to play a man down on the hour as Jeroen Simaeys was shown his second yellow of the day. Nine minutes later KSC Lokeren KSC Lokeren had a commanding lead as Stijn de Wilde was played in alone and sent the ball over the 'keeper into the net. Jacky Mathijssen's side came roaring back with Joseph Akpala making it 3-1 with eighteen minutes left as he pounced on a loose ball in the box and drove the ball in from eleven metres. At the eightieth minute Mohamed Dahmane slipped his man and received a well weighted through ball down the left channel before driving the ball into the opposite corner. However the match concluded without further match and KSC Lokeren kept its slim hopes for European football alive

Dante injured

Borussia Mönchengladbach's new man Dante, who just arrived from Standard de Liège in Belgium has torn a muscle in his thigh and is out for at least the next two matches. After pulling up in training, he undertook an MRI with the tests revealing the injury. The club will be releasing further information after undergoing more tests to see how long he will be out.

Gladbach keeps building roster

Hans Meyer's efforts to avoid relegation have been bolstered with the announcement of defender Dante joining the club from Standard de Liège. The twenty-five year-old Brazilian will make a sizable improvement in the defending core and represents a commitment by the club far beyond avoiding relegation. Per the club web-site Borussia Mönchengladbach Sport Director Max Eberl noted that while he has been used at left-back because of Standard de Liège problems, they "see him more as a central defender, just as he himself does."

Standard de Liège pushes Everton out of UEFA Cup

After drawing level 2-2 at Goodison Park, Standard de Liège hosted Everton knowing full-well they held the upper-hand in winning advancement in the UEFA Cup. Everton camp out aggressive but it was the slick Belgian squad that opened the scoring with Axel Witsel giving the lead twenty-two minutes into the match. Needing two goals to level the aggregate, David Moyes pushed the attack forward and brought in Victor Anichebe eighteen minutes after the break. Four minutes later Philip Jagielka brought the match level to Everton still needed another goal to bring the aggregate even but it was not to be. With eleven minutes left Milan Jovanović added a goal from the spot, on a call many will question, to pull Standard de Liège out in front to stay.











Everton faces deep-in-a-tailspin Newcastle this weekend.












Everton
Tim Howard,Tony Hibbert (Victor Anichebe 63'),Philip Jagielka,Jolean Lescott,Leighton Baines,Phil Neville (Joseph Yobo 88'),Leon Osman,Tim Cahill,Mikel Arteta,Yakubu Ayegbeni,Louis Saha (Steven Pienaar 71')

Standard de Liège
Rorys Aragon Espinoza,Dante Bonfim,Oguchi Onyewu,Wilfried Dalmat,Marcos Camozzato,Mohamed Sarr,Benjamin Nicaise,Steven Defour,Axel Witsel,Milan Jovanović,Dieudonné Mbokani