Club NXT U23 goes down narrowly at Zulte Waregem

Club NXT U23 lost 2-1 to Zulte Waregem on Sunday afternoon, picking up 15 on 15. In the first half, NXT did not have it under wraps and swallowed a goal from Challouk. That play changed completely in the second half. Lenn De Smet scored the equalizer early on. Our youngsters still created chances, but finally the home team won after a goal from a free kick by Rommens.

Coach Veldman had to change his team, which won easily against Beveren on the previous match day, in several places. Captain Lynnt Audoor was selected for the first team and Sabbe and Spileers were also part of the A core. Et-Taïbi and Yameogo are still injured.

Goemaere and Verlinden debuted in the starting lineup for the first time this season. The match got off to a steady start. After 5 minutes, the Elindus Arena shot a first-time wake-up call when Van Der Gouw failed to clear the ball perfectly. Faraas was in between, but was too surprised to push the ball in the right direction. The goalkeeper was able to recover his mistake quickly. Essevee responded with a shot by Opoku that went a meter wide. Afterwards, Opoku did score, but he was whistled back for offside. Barely minutes later Jelle Vossen, ex-Club Brugge, scored, but again the linesman flagged for offside. Club NXT got away well.

After just under 20 minutes and much pushing, it was prize after all for Essevee. Diop set Challouk on his way and the newcomer dribbled past four Bruges players before kicking the ball in, 1-0. The home team was not satisfied with this small lead and continued to put pressure on the Bruges defense. Barkarson first headed just over, and after a poor run by Club, Vossen's header went inches wide. Just past the half hour mark, Nyssen lashed out. Goalkeeper De Corte tapped the ball over the goal with his fingertips. Goemaere had to give up shortly before halftime due to problems with his ankle. He was replaced by Bisiwu. With halftime approaching, Opoku went on another dribble. The Ghanaian kicked from long range and aimed the leather just wide of goal. Midway through, it was 1-0.

The second half

The second half started off right away for Club NXT. After less than a minute of soccer, the boards were hanging even. Lenn De Smet cut free in the sixteen and put the 1-1 on the board. The assist was credited to substitute Wylin, who along with Da Silva replaced Faraas and Granados. The home team needed some time to digest the equalizer and Club NXT had a taste for it. Bisiwu dribbled two defenders, but the third was too much. The cross that followed was boxed away by goalkeeper Van Der Gouw. Verlinden, like Goemaere, also experienced problems in the first half and had to be substituted. Lund Jensen came onto the field.

After just over an hour of play, Lenn De Smet tackled Diop. Rommens took the free kick from about 25 meters in front and painted the ball past goalkeeper De Corte: 2-1. Club NXT was undaunted and went in full search of the equalizer. Lund Jensen cut inside from the right side. He had some space for a shot and targeted the short corner. There, goalie Van Der Gouw was waiting. Esseveel's goalkeeper also boxed away another chance. A shot by Lenn De Smet was also turned into a corner kick by the goalkeeper.

De Roeve cleverly turned away from his attacker on another attack and shot at goal, but it was not a framed shot. Club NXT continued to go full out for a goal, but it fell on the opposite side. On a razor-sharp counter, the substitute Traore scored, but it was flagged for offside. Five minutes before time, Van Der Gouw prevented the deserved equalizer. De Roeve laid the ball backwards to the incoming Bisiwu. He took the ball on the slipper in one go, but the Essevee goalkeeper saved again. Vossen picked up another fantasy. He chopped the ball towards goal, but De Corte dived well to the ball and could prevent the 3-1. Club NXT could not make a fist anymore and the game ended 2-1. After the international break, Blauw-Zwart plays its next match on Saturday, Oct. 19 at The NEST against Lierse.

Club NXT U23: Axl De Corte, Sem Audoor (81' Renzo Tytens), Wout Verlinden (55' Tobias Lund Jensen), Jano Wilems, Denzel De Roeve, Liam De Smet, Laurens Goemaere (43' Jesse Bisiwu), Benjamin Faraas (46' Jessi Da Silva), Alejandro Granados (46' Siebe Wylin), Lenn De Smet, Kaye Furo.
Bank: Argus Vanden Driessche, Oleksandr Yakymenko, Lucas Delorge, Daniel Perez. Coach: Robin Veldman.

Zulte-Waregem: Ennio Van Der Gouwe, Benoit Nyssen, Anton Tanghe, Lukas Willen, Atli Barkarson, Jeppe Erenbjerg, Nicolas Rommens, Pape Diop, Joseph Opoku (76' Abdoulaye Traore), Youssef Challouk (70' Tochoukwu Nadi), Jelle Vossen (87' Nathan Fraser).
Bank: Louis Bostyn, Andres Labie, Yannick Cappelle, Laurent Lemoine, Dylan Demuynck, Stavros Gravriel. Coach: Sven Vandenbroeck.

Goals: 20' Challouk 1-0, 46' Lenn De Smet 1-1, 62' Rommens 2-1.

Yellow cards: 23' Granados, 53' Sem Audoor, 56' Tanghe, 60' Liam De Smet, 65' Okopu, 88' Diop.

Referee: Theophile Diskeuve.

Stadium: Lindus Arena Waregem.