Club NXT U23 wins its last match at the Anderlecht Futures 1-2

Club NXT U23 won its final match of the season at the Anderlecht Futures after a spirited match at the King Baudouin Stadium. Barbera scored via a penalty kick. Tajaouart quickly netted the equalizer. On the half hour, Lenn De Smet scored the 1-2. With this victory, our youngsters finish in a handsome 9th place and are once again the best U23 team in the Challenger Pro League.

Coach Veldman could count on Homma and Seys to join the trip to Paok. Barbera returned from injury, as did Denzel De Roeve who had been out since November. Blue-Black started the match strongly. The first corner kick was for Club NXT. Homma dribbled his way in and passed to Granados. The Purple-Black defense intervened wisely. Soon after, Lenn De Smet was launched. He was brought down in the penalty area. Barbera netted the penalty into the left corner beyond the reach of goalkeeper Vanhoutte. An early lead was the result.

Unfortunately, a few minutes later Barbera lost the ball, allowing the Futures to put the leather in front of goal via the right flank. Tajaouart worked the cross in on the turn: 1-1. Everything was to be redone. No worries. Our youngsters were eager for a good result and remained the better team on the field. De Roeve's reappearance was almost rewarded with a goal. Unfortunately, his attempt was unsuccessful and only resulted in a corner kick. At the other end, shots by Colassin and Monticelli were blocked. Via another corner kick, the ball lingered in front of Anderlecht's goal, but eventually Barbera could not beat goalkeeper Vanhoutte.

After just over half an hour, Club NXT climbed back into the lead. Lenn De Smet poked the ball against the nets. 1-2. A few minutes later Homma failed to increase the lead. He kicked a free kick high over goal. Club NXT continued to combine well and dominated the home team. Just before halftime, Liam De Smet kicked the last big chance over Vanhoutte's goal on a cross from his brother Lenn. We went to rest with a deserved lead for our youngsters.

Willems replaced De Roeve at the start of the second half. Et-Taïbi gave a good cross to Lenn De Smet who tried at one time, but he did not hit the ball well. Away chance. Simba lost the ball in midfield. Anderlecht quickly switched gears through Ure. His far cross was headed over by Colassin. The home team went in search of the equalizer. Club NXT U23 tried to control the game, but had a hard time keeping the ball in the team. Coach Veldman intervened and brought three new forces into the team with Furo, Audoor and Salah. Anderlecht got some decisions because of the Dutch referee trio, which also resulted in some free kicks. Fortunately, the home team could not take advantage of them. Goemaere was also thrown into the fray at the expense of Simba, who was booked with yellow and targeted by the home team.

Striker Lenn De Smet was not satisfied with his one goal and wanted to score another. His blast was turned into a corner kick by the goalkeeper. On the other side, our young goalkeeper De Corte also showed his talent. Goto was able to push the equalizer against the nets from close range, but our goalie prevented that with a great reflex. Anderlecht kept on pushing. Another chance by Goto was again pushed into a corner by De Corte. The last chances of the match were again for Club NXT. De Smet sent a long ball in the direction of the running Furo. Our young sputs approached to close to Vanhoutte, but the angle was too sharp to shoot past the pair's goalkeeper. Salah tried on another attack, but his shot was too central and was easily caught. It remained 1-2, a deserved victory for Club NXT. Revenge for the undeserved home defeat earlier in the season. With that, they finish in a handsome ninth place and, like last season, are the best U23 team in the Challenger Proleague. A big congratulations to the players and staff of Club NXT. Now that the season is over, our youngsters will play some more practice matches against Luton Town, Monaco, Francs Borains

and Roda JC, after which a well-deserved vacation starts. The new season will be prepared from July 6. Also next season Club NXT U23 counts on the massive support of the Blue Black legion of supporters.

Club NXT U23: Axl De Corte, Joaquin Seys (63' Sem Audoor), Denzel De Roeve (46' Jano Willems), Bi Kader Yameogo, Amine Et-Taïbi, William Simba (69' Laurens Goemaere), Liam De Smet, Shion Homma (63'Mohamed Salah), Alejandro Granados, Victor Barbera (63' Kaye Furo), Lenn De Smet. Bank: Nick Shinton, Jessi Bisiwu, Jesse Da Silva, Oleksandr Yakymenko. Coach: Robin Veldman.

Anderlecht Futures: Timon Vanhoutte, Mohamed Bouchouari (84' Loïc Masscho), Ismaël Baouf, Nunzio Engwanda, Mioussa Ndiaye (46' Nail Moutha Sebtaoui), Anas Tajaouart, Alonso Engwanda, Luca Monticelli (72' Devon De Corte), Tristan Degreef, Antoine Colassin (72' Keisuke Goto), Robbie Ure. Bank: Rik Vercauteren, Amadou Diallo, Ali Maamar, Lars Montegnies. Coach: Marink Reedijk.

Goals: 6' Barbera (penalty), 9' Tajaouart, 32' Lenn De Smet.

Yellow cards: 36' Nunzio Engwanda, 45+5' Nsimba, 47' Monticelli, 56' Seys, 89' Furo, 90+2' Lenn De Smet.

Referee: Luuk Timmer.

Stadium: King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels.