Lommel SK made no fewer than five changes to the starting line-up compared to a week ago. Dries Wouters returned from a short injury and immediately reclaimed the captain’s armband. Meanwhile, Rik Vercauteren made his league debut in goal, while Danny McGrath and Filip Stevanovic also returned to the starting eleven. Jesper Tolinsson was back in the team as well, having served a one-match suspension the previous week.

The first big chance of the game came early. Jason van Duiven smartly dispossessed his opponent and played a perfect through ball to his strike partner, Nicolas Siri, who found himself one-on-one with the Beveren goalkeeper. However, the Uruguayan’s shot went just wide. Shortly afterwards, the visitors created their first opportunity. SK Beveren attacked down the left, but Rik Vercauteren was able to make the save. The resulting corner, however, found the net. Anthony Limbombe was picked out on the edge of the penalty area and struck a precise shot diagonally past Vercauteren: 0-1.

Following the opening goal, the game became somewhat disjointed. SK Beveren sat back on their lead, while LSK struggled to gain control. After around fifteen minutes, Groen-Wit appeared to be finding its rhythm, but just at that moment, the visitors struck again. Lennart Mertens outjumped Tolinsson and headed the ball past a helpless Vercauteren: 0-2.

Immediately after conceding the second goal, Joey Pelupessy had a great chance to pull one back. A well-worked one-two opened up space for the Dutchman to shoot. Goalkeeper Beau Reus struggled with the shot but managed to clear the ball in the end. Around the 25th minute, LSK seemed set for a third setback, but this time the assistant referee intervened. Lennart Mertens was in an offside position, and the third Beveren goal was ruled out.

After the disallowed goal, little of note happened at the Gestelsedijk. LSK tried to respond but was unable to create real danger in front of Beveren’s goal. The visitors, however, did have one more big chance. As stoppage time approached, SK Beveren managed to unleash a shot from near the penalty spot, but a last-ditch effort from Dries Wouters prevented further damage. After a disastrous first half, Lommel SK went into the break trailing 0-2.

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LSK in Pursuit

LSK resumed the second half unchanged and immediately created the first chance. Following a foul on Henry Oware, Filip Stevanovic lined up a free kick. The ball curled towards the top corner but hit the wrong side of the net. Around ten minutes into the second half, the visitors created their first real danger. A loose ball fell to Guillaume De Schryver, but the crossbar came to LSK’s rescue.

Shortly after this chance, LSK seemed to claw its way back into the match. A brilliant pass from Nicolas Siri played Mohamed Salah through on goal. The Beveren goalkeeper made the save but spilled the ball. Jason van Duiven was quick to react and pounced on the rebound, but the referee had already blown his whistle for a foul by the Dutchman. Van Duiven was even shown a yellow card for the incident.

Siri’s First Goal
The breakthrough finally came for Lommel SK. The team kept pushing forward and was rewarded for its persistence. Danny McGrath’s shot was deflected, but the ball fell perfectly for Nicolas Siri. The Uruguayan poked the ball past Reus, reigniting hope at the Soevereinstadion.

The goal gave interim head coach Ryan Garry’s team confidence, and they came close to equalising soon after. Filip Stevanovic burst forward and delivered a cross into the Beveren penalty area, where a defender made a crucial intervention to deny a clear-cut chance. The resulting corner found Dries Wouters at the far post, but once again, a last-second clearance kept the ball out of the net.

With about fifteen minutes remaining, LSK threw everything forward. This approach almost backfired, as SK Beveren came close to a third goal, but goalkeeper Vercauteren reacted brilliantly, saving with his feet. Following this moment, Ryan Garry took the opportunity to bring on fresh legs. Filip Stevanovic was replaced by Alvaro Santos, while earlier, Joey Pelupessy had made way for Ibrahima Kebe.

The final phase of the match began with another dangerous cross from the visitors. A delivery from the left nearly looped over Vercauteren, but the 23-year-old goalkeeper managed to get a hand to the ball just in time. A few minutes later, SK Beveren had another chance to seal the win, but after another fine save by Vercauteren, De Schryver was unable to find the net.

LSK remained in the game and had around five minutes to find a dramatic equaliser. Their one and only real chance fell to substitute Alvaro Santos, but his effort sailed a few metres over the crossbar. That proved to be the last action of the match, as the visitors from Beveren expertly ran down the clock.

Next week, Lommel SK will once again play at home, hosting RFC Seraing on Sunday, 2nd March. Kick-off is at 16:00 at the Soevereinstadion. Tickets for this match are available via tickets.lommelsk.be. Delen op