On Sunday, September 29, Royal Antwerp FC and K Beerschot VA will face off in an important “Antwerp derby.” Antwerp fought its way to the league title and the cup two years ago, while Beerschot was holding its ground in the second division at the time. Now that Beerschot is back in the Jupiler Pro League, the teams will once again battle to decide who will be the “team of the city.” Read all about it in this article.
Antwerp Derby
The first Beerschot-Antwerp match was played on May 6, 1900, during the inauguration of the stadium in Kiel, just a few months after fifteen Antwerp players made the switch to Beerschot. That team won the match 6-1.
One of the most significant derbies took place on June 16, 1929, when Antwerp and Beerschot played a tiebreaker match at Racing Mechelen’s ground to determine the national champion. Beerschot sabotaged its own chances by suspending its star player after an internal dispute just before the game. This opened the door for Antwerp, who scored two goals in the final five minutes to secure a 2-0 win.
Since 2018, the two teams have faced each other six times, with Antwerp winning five of those encounters. Beerschot hasn’t had much luck, failing to win any of those matches. It seems likely that Antwerp will once again dominate this match, but in football, anything can happen. Beerschot certainly has enough reasons to give their all.
Antwerp
Royal Antwerp FC is the oldest professional football club in Belgium. It was founded in 1880 and received its registration number, 1, in 1926. Their home matches are played at the Bosuilstadion. Antwerp won both the league title and the cup two years ago, but last year they saw little success. They finished 6th in the Jupiler Pro League and were knocked out in the group stage of the Champions League.
After a less successful year, the “Sinjoren” also started this season with some disappointing results. They failed to win at home against Anderlecht, and Club Brugge and Mechelen were also too strong for them. Despite these setbacks, Antwerp managed to win a few matches, leaving them in 3rd place after eight games, with the same points as teams like Gent and Club Brugge. In their most recent match, an away game in Westerlo, Antwerp secured a last-minute 1-2 victory.
The Great Old is managed by Jonas De Roeck. This former Belgian professional footballer and coach, born in Barcelona, joined the club after Mark van Bommel stepped down. De Roeck played for Antwerp in his final years as a footballer and has just returned from a coaching stint in Westerlo. His team includes former Red Devil Toby Alderweireld, Dennis Praet, and Michel-Ange Balikwisha. Vincent Janssen has also already contributed goals this year, as he was the team’s top scorer last season.
Beerschot
This club from Antwerp was originally registered under number 155, but now holds number 13. They play their home games in purple and white at the Olympisch Stadion in Kiel. When founded, Beerschot had a different name, but in 2013, KFCO Wilrijk decided to absorb the bankrupt Beerschot AC. Last year, Beerschot won the Challenger Pro League, earning promotion back to the Jupiler Pro League after two years.
Beerschot’s preparation for this match could hardly have gone worse. They lost 0-3 to STVV, star player Thibaud Verlinden was sidelined with an injury, and the fans are beginning to turn against the team. After their seventh straight loss, some fans entered the interview zone and the dressing rooms. This has put immense pressure on the players, so it remains to be seen how they will handle it. What this means for the match against Antwerp is still unclear.
Beerschot is coached by Dirk Kuyt. The Dutch forward and midfielder played professionally for Liverpool and also earned caps for the national team, but a few years ago, he swapped his playing career for a coaching one. After over a year away from football following his dismissal from ADO Den Haag, he signed a contract with Beerschot, which is set to run until this summer. At Beerschot, he manages a squad in which Belgian Tom Reyners was the top scorer last season.
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