For the kick-off, the Jan Breydel Stadium got a touch of nostalgia: Paul Sanders, former striker of the association and cup winner in 1985, was allowed to symbolically kick the first ball. For a long time, the party noise in Bruges did not last, because after barely three minutes, Pflücke, who was taken away from Mechelen for half a million this summer, hit. Striking because also against Dender just before the international break, Charleroi scored in the first five minutes. Well started, half …
But Cercle did not immediately give himself won. Although coach Cinel’s team seemed upset for a moment after the early opening goal, the home team remained threatening. First there was already a long shot from Agarekum, then a strong warning from Ngoura that appeared well in the sixteen and put the ball past Delavallée. 1-1, the stadium until the VAR thought the goal was rejected for offside.