However, Mechelen started the game excellently. After ten minutes, Benito Raman was allowed to rush towards Maxime Delanghe alone, but had no eye for the running Patrick Pflücke and eventually bumped into the Cercle goalkeeper’s leg. After the opening fifteen minutes, the home team took over command and Felipe Augusto headed the ball narrowly wide of Ortwin De Wolf’s goal.
However, Augusto did not have to wait long for his goal, as he was rewarded with another corner in the 34th minute. The Brazilian striker was left completely alone and was able to nod Gary Magnée’s corner into the net unthreatened.
Just after the break the chances came in quick succession. Substitute Rafik Belghali came in, but decided too centrally on Delanghe, on the other side Kazeem Olaigbe and Augusto took their chance, but the Association failed to double its lead. Augusto in particular had the 2-0 at his feet afterwards, but failed to punish the visitors’ loss of ball. Mechelen moved decisively forward in the final quarter, but could no longer avert defeat.
Cercle remains undefeated under new coach Ferdinand Feldhofer and, thanks to the recent 7 out of 9, moves up to twelfth place in the rankings.