Anderlecht beat Cercle Brugge by 2-0 on Sunday, the fifth day of the Jupiler Pro League, handing Vincent Kompany his first victory as the club’s manager.
Playing before 6,000 spectators, Lukas Nmecha and Michael Murillo found the back of the net in the 36th and 68th minutes respectively.
The first scoring opportunity fell to centre-back Ognjen Vranjes, who received a cross coming in from Jeremy Doku on the right in the 10th minute, but the Bosnian’s header sailed just over the crossbar.
Anderlecht was way ahead on possession, then a lost ball in midfield offered Cercle Brugge’s Anthony Musaba a chance against Van Crombrugge, but the Dutchman’s strike, in the 21st minute, was off target.
After a chance for Percy Tau in the 23rd minute, Anderlecht found the opening just after the half-hour mark. On a pass from Zakaria Bakkali, Tau executed a body swerve that threw David Bates off balance, leading Bates to commit a foul on the South African winger. Lukas Nmecha did not miss from the 11-metre spot and it was 1-0 after 35 minutes.
Barely five minutes later, Musaba found himself in an excellent position but sent the ball sailing into the stands.
In the second half, Nmecha was a tad too late on a centre from Murillo in the 63rd minute, then had his strike stopped by Didillon in the 66th minute.
Two minutes later, Anderlecht extended its lead thanks to Murillo, who found himself alone in front of Didillon in the 68th minute, following a freekick played quickly by Trebel.
Van Crombrugge kept his slate clean by winning a duel with Ike Ugbo, following a pass from Kylian Hazard in the 73rd minute.
In the 85th minute, Hazard attempted an ambitious lob from the 50-metre mark, but missed the Anderlecht goal by a metre.
Anderlecht ended the game with two chances, for Tau and Yari Verschaeren. Didillon stopped the first, while the second sailed over the crossbar.
Anderlecht now joins Club Brugge and Beerschot in third place on nine points, while Cercle Brugge has six.
The Brussels Times
