Football

Union Sportive Ploegsteert-Bizet v Sporting Club Zonnebeke

Belgium

West Vlaanderen Provincial 3A Eindronde

Promotion Play Off 2nd Leg

Sunday 20th May 2018

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.01

Union Sportive Ploegsteert-Bizet 1 Sporting Club Zonnebeke 3 (AET) (3-4 on Aggregate),  attendance 255

47’ 0-1

58’ 1-1

66’ 1-2

117’ 1-3

@ Stade Vanuxeem

Rue D’Armentieres 146

7782 Ploegsteert

€5 Admission

Team Sheet, free.

Ploegsteert are unusual as they are one of a handful of clubs in Belgium that play their football in a different Province to where they are based. They are actually in Hainaut, but play in the West Vlaanderen Provincial League.

The final league positions of these two was 3rd versus 2nd, but Ploegsteert had won the away leg last Sunday 2-1, so came into this match as favourites to gain promotion, especially as the ‘away goals’ rule was in use. They totally dominated the first half, but missed a hatful of chances. The opening goal for Zonnebeke, early in the second half, still made no difference to the overall tie and when Ploegsteert quickly levelled it at 1-1 on the day they seemed well in control. The visitors then made it 1-2, to level at 3-3 on aggregate, which meant if either team scored another goal then at least we wouldn’t be heading for extra time.

Sadly, neither team had a shot on target in the remaining 24 minutes, so into an extra thirty minutes we went. Again, neither team seemed interested in winning it, but Zonnebeke then had a man sent off with 18 minutes of extra time left, so surely Ploegsteert would take advantage of the extra man, but they just sat back and wasted time at every opportunity. With three minutes left, Zonnebeke played a free kick into the box from out on the touch line and as everyone jumped for the ball it took a deflection of someone’s head and looped over the ‘keeper for the winner, which sees them promoted to Provincial 2 next season.

The Tunnel didn’t behave too badly today, although it wasn’t really that busy. Our 10.20 outbound service was seven minutes late, whilst the 19.20 return (had to book this in case of extra time and penalties) was two minutes late.