Retro: Exactly 25 years ago, KRC Harelbeke played its only European game

25 years ago, KRC Harelbeke had perhaps just played its best season ever in the first division. Yes, first class. The current Forestier stadium on Stasegemsesteenweg was quite full more than once that season. Top clubs did not like to visit. Trainer Henk Houwaert had turned his Rats into a team to be feared. With a strong Dutch influence (think of top players such as Visser, Laamers, Pastoor and Klomp) but also with some players from the region. Kurt Deltour or Joris De Tollenaere. Under the crossbar was Ronald Gaspercic. Harelbeke finished fifth that season, earning a ticket for the Intertotocup, a summer competition that could give access to the then UEFA cup.

Top poster, not a full house

But on that 19th July 1998, the Forestier stadium was not really full. T was Kortrijk Congé, a bit of a difficult period to bring together 10,000 men. However, the opponent in the first – and only – European adventure of KRC Harelbeke was not wrong: Sampdoria Genoa. To give you an idea: the coach of Genoa was Luciano Spalletti at the time. Didn’t he become champion in Serie A with Napoli last season?

Good match, shadowy penalty kick

Anyway, against the much richer Genoa, the players of Champagne Henkie held their own. Gaspercic had to intervene appropriately a few times in the first half. But Harelbeke could also have scored in the second half. the only goal came in the 90th minute on the other side, after a lightly whistled penalty kick. So 0-1. A few days later, the Rats lost 3-0 in Italy. The end of a short European adventure.