KVC Westerlo vs SK Beveren 4-4

KVC Westerlo and SK Beveren shared eight goals in a 4-4 draw at Het Kuipje, with the points split after stoppage-time drama at both ends. Westerlo led 4-3 after a penalty from S. Saito in the 90+7th minute, but V. Olatunji levelled three minutes into stoppage time.

Westerlo opened the scoring in the 10th minute when S. Saito finished I. Sakamoto’s pass for 1-0. E. Kabore equalised in the 33rd minute from J. Margaritha’s assist, before N. Bassette restored Westerlo’s lead with a goal three minutes into first-half stoppage time to make it 2-1. That was the half-time score.

Bassette then struck again from the spot on 55 minutes to move Westerlo 3-1 ahead. SK Beveren responded through C. Lokesa, who came on in the 65th minute and scored on 67 minutes from A. Verschueren’s assist to make it 3-2. The visitors kept pushing after a double change on 65 minutes and then two more on 83 minutes, while Westerlo made four changes on 83 minutes, including Bassette going off after his brace. V. Olatunji, also off the bench after coming on in the 65th minute, equalised on 88 minutes from L. Jans’s pass for 3-3. S. Saito then made it 4-3 from the spot in the 90+7th minute, before Olatunji scored again three minutes into stoppage time from another Verschueren assist to seal the final 4-4.

The statistics reflected how even it was. Possession was 50-50, both sides had 450 passes and 85% pass accuracy, and Westerlo’s 15 shots were one fewer than Beveren’s 16. Beveren had the edge in shots on target, 7-6, and in corners, 7-3, while Westerlo finished with a slightly higher xG of 2.41 to 1.96. Beveren also had more fouls, 12-3, and both sides were caught offside a few times, 3-2.

Discipline tilted against Beveren for most of the afternoon, with C. Bruls booked in first-half stoppage time, B. Godeau cautioned on 62 minutes, V. Olatunji booked on 90+6 minutes and C. Janssens shown a yellow card on 90+9 minutes. Westerlo had no yellow cards, but R. Laalaoui was sent off on 90+9 minutes.