On Saturday evening Lierse lost their fourth consecutive match. High flying Kortrijk won 1-2 at the Lisp. Pavlovic opened the scoring. El Araichi doubled the lead from the penalty spot. Just before the end Douala scored a consolation for Lierse.
Trainer Anthuenis handed debuts to newcomers Nicaise & Claasen. They replaced Sekour and Elgabas from last weeks starting eleven at Mechelen.
Lierse began the match strongly and were on the offensive from the start. The first chance fell to Jurgen Cavens after ten minutes. Radzinski crossed from the left, Cavens headed into the side netting. Then a counter from the home team, but Radzinski was correctly flagged offside. After fifteen minutes the first threat from the visitors. Rosini with a header, Kawashima palming the ball away to safety. The first of several yellow cards in the match came just afterwards. Lierse tried to counter quickly but Sven Kums held Mensah back, and was rightly booked. Then a free kick from Cavens, the spectacular overhead from debutant Nicaise going just over. Two minutes later the same Nicaise beat his man, and teed up a nice shot, Verbauwhede flung himself across goal to tip the ball away from danger. The strong first twenty minutes from the home team came to an abrupt end when Kawashima was deceived by a lob-cum-shot on the turn from Pavlovic: 0-1. At the time a slightly flattering lead for Kortrijk. On the half hour a dangerous header from Rosini went just wide. The next attack from Kortrijk saw Frédéric Frans suddenly fall to the ground. First prognosis appears to be a torn muscle in the hip. The unlucky Frans was replaced by De Graef, who dropped in at left back. Camacho moved into the centre of defence alongside Van Hemert.
On the stroke of halftime Sven Kums fired in a shot from just outside the area which smacked keeper Kawashima directly in the face. Mboyo appeared to only have to tap in the rebound, but an amazing reflex with his foot from our Japanese keeper prevented Kortrijk doubling their lead at the break.
At half time Cavens was replaced by Job. It was Kortrijk though who made the play at the start of the second half, and who looked the more dangerous. On the hour De Beule was a bit too enthusiastic going into a tackle. A second yellow card, and therefore red the result. Lierse had a half hour against ten men to turn the game. Anthuenis brought on Douala for Nicaise. When Dequevy allowed De Graef through, an equaliser seemed to be on the cards, but Verbauwhede had different ideas. Then at the other end Brecht Capon raced into the penalty area, De Graef pulled him down, a clear penalty. El Araichi fired the spot kick straight down the middle: 0-2.
Lierse kept on pushing forward. Radzinski picked out Davids in space. The resultant shot though was too indecisive. The following chance was again for Rosini for Kortrijk. A superb volley from the Italian/Belgian, De Graef's body preventing it being 0-3. A quarter of an hour from time; a Lierse counter. From a good passing move Dequevy was flagged for offside. TV replays showed otherwise.
It was now or never for Lierse, but they failed to really create enough chances. Two minutes from time Radzinski found a way past the defence and picked out Douala, who scored from close range: 1-2. Lierse sensed that a point was not impossible. Douala appeared to force a corner, but the ref awarded a goal kick. The pressure stayed to the end, but Kortrijk stood firm, and made it ten points from four games.
Lierse remain at the bottom without a point. Next Sunday, a very tricky away game at Racing Genk awaits them.
Lierse: Kawashima, Frans (De Graef 40'), Van Hemert, Camacho, Davids, Nicaise (Douala 60'), Mensah, Claasen, Dequevy, Cavens (Job 46'), Radzinski
Goals: Doula (89')
Booked: Van Hemert, Davids, De Graef
Kortrijk: Verbauwhede, Belhocine, El Araichi, Martin, Capon (Gershon), Pavlovic, Kums, Oussalah, De Beule, Rossini (Messoudi (88'), Mboyo (Ibou 86')
Goals: Pavlovic (19'), El-Araichi (pen 66')
Booked: Verbauwhede, Kums, De Beule (2x)
Sent Off: De Beule (59')
