3 – 3
“Ryan Merlen stunned the home crowd by scoring directly from kick-off — or within seconds of it — to hand Sint-Truiden a shock lead before Cercle had touched the ball in their own half.”
Pivotal“Ryan Merlen completed his brace to restore Sint-Truiden's lead just minutes after Cercle had drawn level, with the build-up featuring Steve Ngoura testing the keeper and Dante Vanzeir rattling the post.”
“Nelson Ishiwatari — already on a yellow card — converted to make it 1-3 just two minutes into the second half, stretching Sint-Truiden's lead and putting the visitors firmly in the driving seat.”
Pivotal“Substitute Erick Nunes pulled Cercle back to 2-3 with a goal that reignited home belief and set up a nervy final eight minutes, coming off the back of a wave of Cercle pressure and triple substitution.”
Pivotal“In the cruelest of endings, Loïc Mbe Soh — who had already been booked — turned a late corner into his own net to complete Cercle's comeback and deny Sint-Truiden a famous away victory in the dying seconds.”
Pivotal
Cercle Brugge
Sint-Truiden
Outstanding performance
Sint-Truiden•MidfielderSint-Truiden arrived at Jan Breydel looking every bit like a side with something to prove, and Ryan Merlen gave them the perfect start with a goal in the very first minute before the home side had even settled. Cercle levelled through Steve Ngoura in the 28th minute, but Sint-Truiden refused to be pegged back — Merlen struck again on 37 minutes before Nelson Ishiwatari added a third two minutes into the second half to put the visitors seemingly in control at 1-3. What followed was a textbook Cercle comeback: despite Sint-Truiden holding the majority of possession, the hosts dominated the game territorially, racking up 26 shots to Sint-Truiden's 13 and creating 60 dangerous attacks. Substitute Erick Nunes pulled one back on 82 minutes and, with the clock running out, Loïc Mbe Soh's agonising own goal off a corner in the 90th minute completed the most improbable of equalisers. For Cercle, the point offers some relief after going three goals down at home; for Sint-Truiden, it will feel like two points dropped in the cruellest of circumstances.
How entertaining was this match?
Goal! Krys Kouassi scores, bringing the match to 3-3.
Corner awarded.
Corner awarded.
Christiaan Ravych takes a shot with his head but misses.
Corner awarded.
Wolke Janssens is coming on for Nelson Ishiwatari.
Shogo Taniguchi is on, and Frederic Soelle is off.
Corner awarded.
Jean Thierry Lazare Amani takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Shot! Erick scores with a left-footed shot.
Lucas Michal takes a right-footed shot, but it's saved.
Goal! Erick scores, making it 2-3.
Goal! The score is now 2-3.
Krys Kouassi comes on for Steve Ngoura.
Ryan Merlen takes a left-footed shot but misses.
Loïc Mbe SohYellow CardYellow card for Loic Mbe Soh.
Loic Mbe Soh receives a yellow card.
Ibrahim Diakite is on, and Dante Vanzeir is off.
On comes Erick, off goes Viggo Martens.
Steve Ngoura takes a left-footed shot, but it's blocked.
Ilias Sebaoui takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Abdoulaye Sissako takes a left-footed shot but misses.
Shot by Nelson Ishiwatari is saved.
Ryan Merlen takes a shot with his right foot, but it's saved.
Ibrahima Diaby takes a right-footed shot, but it is saved.
Viggo Martens takes a left-footed shot, but it is saved.
Viggo Martens takes a right-footed shot, but it is blocked.
Corner awarded.
Yellow card shown to Joedrick Pupe.
Corner awarded.
Emmanuel Kakou takes a right-footed shot, but it's saved.
Lukas Mondele takes a left-footed shot, but it is blocked.
Ibrahima Diaby takes a left-footed shot but misses.
Corner awarded.
Lukas Mondele takes a left-footed shot but misses.
Steve Ngoura takes a right-footed shot, but it is blocked.
Corner awarded.
Offside.
Shot by Nelson Ishiwatari with his right foot results in a goal.
Goal! Nelson Ishiwatari scores to make it 1-3, assisted by Ilias Sebaoui.
Nelson IshiwatariGoal! Nelson Ishiwatari scores to make it 1-3, assisted by Ilias Sebaoui.
assist: Ilias Sebaoui
Offside.
Dante Vanzeir attempts a header but misses the shot.
First half ends with a score of 1-2.
Corner awarded.
Corner awarded.
Ryan Merlen takes a shot with his right foot and scores.
Goal! Ryan Merlen scores, making it 1-2, assisted by Robert-Jan Vanwesemael.
Shot by Robert-Jan Vanwesemael with his left foot is blocked.
assist: Robert-Jan Vanwesemael
Dante Vanzeir takes a left-footed shot that hits the post.
Steve Ngoura takes a shot with his right foot and scores.
Corner awarded.
Goal! The score is now 1-1.
Corner awarded.
Viggo Martens takes a right-footed shot, but it is saved.
Lukas Mondele takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Corner awarded.
Offside.
Yellow card shown to Nelson Ishiwatari.
Lukas Mondele takes a left-footed shot but misses.
Ryan Merlen takes a left-footed shot, but it is blocked.
Gary Magnee attempts a header but misses the shot.
Corner awarded.
Ryan Merlen takes a right-footed shot, but it is blocked.
Corner awarded.
Steve Ngoura takes a right-footed shot but misses.
Lukas Mondele takes a left-footed shot but misses.
Ibrahima Diaby takes a left-footed shot, but it's saved.
Offside.
Offside.
Offside.
Offside.
Offside.
assist: Ilias Sebaoui
Goal! Ryan Merlen scores, making it 0-1.
Kick-off! The referee is Jan Boterberg.
Cercle Brugge and Sint-Truiden meet at the Jan Breydelstadion in an early-season Belgian Pro League derby, with both sides sitting on just one point after opening-round draws. Friday night's clash is essentially a six-pointer in disguise — whoever blinks first risks falling behind early in what promises to be a tight, competitive affair.
