Sure! Let’s dive into the delightful chaos that is the Croky Cup match between Antwerp and KMSK Deinze. It’s a classic tale of the big fish munching down on the little fish, and let me tell you, folks, it was less of a cup tie and more of a “Let’s see how many goals we can score before dinner!” festival.
### Antwerp 6-1 KMSK Deinze: The Great Cup Capers
Antwerp, the giants of Belgian football with all the finesse of a catwalk model, paraded their skills against the brave but outmatched KMSK Deinze, a second division team that looked like they’d been thrown to the lions after a night out after too many Shandies. The game started with Deinze arriving late due to an unfortunate traffic jam. Now, I don’t know about you, but when I think of nail-biting suspense in football, it’s usually not “Will they get here in time, or will they miss the kickoff entirely?”
#### Key Moments That Saw the Ball Often Being Anyone’s to Grab
With the game barely underway and the Deinze players still shaking off their “Are we actually here?” legs, Antwerp took control just shy of the half-hour mark. In a dizzying flash, they scored two goals in as many minutes. First, Janssen opened his account with an angle shot—because who doesn’t love a cheeky angle? And then Corbanie delivered a classic kick over the keeper Dutoit, who, quite frankly, looked like he was still thinking about his last meal rather than what was happening in front of him.
Tjaronn Chery, strutting around like he owned the place, was the maestro of this orchestra, dishing out two assists and two goals. I haven’t seen anyone orchestrate a symphony quite like that since Lima’s Great Cookie Swap of ’02!
#### Mertens Steals the Show… for a Hot Minute
The match was like a carnival—tons of excitement, loud noise, and all kinds of chaos. Just when you thought the night couldn’t get any better for Antwerp, in came Mertens, trumping everyone with his 100th goal for Deinze. That’s right, folks, 100 goals! And what did it really mean? Not much in the grand scheme of a 6-1 defeat, but hey, we’ve all just celebrated a birthday while forgetting we’re much older than our waistlines suggest!
With the score at 3-1, the atmosphere was electric, or at least it was before Antwerp clicked the ‘destroy’ button on their unsuspecting guests. Goals flowed like champagne at a wedding—one after the other, with Valencia sealing the night with a couple of his own, leaving the score at a staggering 6-1!
#### Antics and Reactions Post-Match
Vincent Janssen, likely battling a mild case of heat stroke from all the action at Bosuil Stadium, remarked that the manner of their victory was “very good,” which is football speak for, “We absolutely obliterated them, and I can’t wait to tell my mates down at the pub.”
On the other hand, Lennart Mertens summed it up beautifully, stating that while they faced the ‘law of the strongest,’ the scoreline “may be a bit exaggerated.” Quite right! The only thing exaggerated here was the amount of fun Antwerp seemed to be having.
And let’s not forget about Tjaronn Chery, who, after his dazzling display, can’t help but credit Janssen, saying they’ve developed a “good connection.” The only connection Deinze had by that point was with the nearest fish-and-chip shop, where they would need to drown their sorrows post-game.
#### Final Thoughts: A Classic Cup Encounter
Ladies and gents, in conclusion, Antwerp has shown us once again why they are the big dogs in this park, and KMSK Deinze has to head home wondering if they should get the bus next time or maybe try a taxi (and possibly leave three hours early). This match was less about the score and more about the spectacle, where every moment was electric, every player shone, and the underdog learned that sometimes, the “strongest” also wears a red jersey.
Until next time, keep an eye on the small teams; after all, you never know when another fish might start swimming upstream! Cheers!
Antwerp has qualified for the 1/8th finals of the Croky Cup without much difficulty. Second division team KMSK Deinze held out for half an hour, but then had to endure the law of the strongest. Antwerp turned it into a real goal festival for its own people, but Mertens was able to save the visitors’ honor with his 100th goal for Deinze.
Antwerp – Deinze in a nutshell:
With two goals in as many minutes, Antwerp laid the foundation for a smooth qualification after half an hour of play. Janssen opens the score with an angle shot and Corbanie immediately gives Deinze a second blow with a clever place ball.
Two assists and two goals. Both Chery and Valencia can show off those nice statistics. Tjaronn Chery stood out just a little bit above the rest. He broke the spell with an excellent through pass for the 1-0 and his first goal was of unadulterated class.
Antwerp continues its undefeated streak. It has been since the end of August since the Great Old suffered a defeat at home against KV Mechelen. Since then, Antwerp has won 5 of its 7 league matches and has now also won a cup match.
Goals:
- 29′ Janssen 1-0
- 31′ Corbanie 2-0
- 48′ Chery 3-0
- 53′ Mertens 3-1
- 68′ Valencia 4-1
- 71′ Chery 5-1
- 87’Valencia 6-1
Two goals in as many minutes
The cup evening started on a strong false note for Deinze. The players bus got hopelessly stuck in the Antwerp traffic, causing the kick-off to be delayed by fifteen minutes. A long bus ride and minimal warm-up, it was a far from ideal run-up for Deinze.
Yet the second division team proved resilient in the Bosuil Stadium. Antwerp may have dominated, but that dominance did not initially result in many opportunities. Just before fifteen minutes it was a bit of a shock for Deinze when Chery aimed a free kick against the post.
Just before the half hour mark, Deinze escaped a penalty when Praet himself indicated that no foul had been made on him. His honesty not only cost Antwerp a penalty, it also strangely enough earned Praet a yellow card.
A little later, Antwerp made the difference with two goals in as many minutes. Launched by Chery, Janssen opened the score with an angle shot and Corbanie applied for a beauty prize with a wonderful kick over Dutoit in the far corner.
The same Dutoit prevented the damage from increasing for Deinze before half time. With a sweep of his feet he was able to keep Janssen from a second goal. Praet also came close to 3-0.
Strong punishment for defenseless Deinze
Shortly after half-time, the third Antwerp goal came after all. Janssen and Valencia put together a clever attack and Chery’s finish was also of high quality.
The visitors were completely on the ropes, but surprisingly quickly got back up. Daci found the head of substitute Mertens and he headed his 100th goal for Deinze: 3-1. The honor was saved for the East Flemish club, but that was it.
Deinze offered some resistance until Antwerp pushed the accelerator a little further halfway through the second half. Dutoit was able to keep Kerk from 4-1 with a clever reflex, but on a pass from Chery, Valencia did score in the restart.
Not much later the roles were reversed. The visitors were too easily outplayed at the back and Valencia offered Chery his second of the evening. Valencia also added one in the final phase and Dutoit kept both Udoh and Vandeplas from making it 7-1.
Janssen: “The way we won was very good”
- Vincent Janssen (Antwerp): “Mission accomplished. We played a very good match. It is always nice to continue converting, but the manner in which was also very good. It was important to take the lead quickly. The young players who We also did well, which is also good for confidence. Chery and I click well. He is a player with many qualities and with two goals and two assists he was very important.”
- Lennart Mertens (Deinze): “We have undergone the law of the strongest, although 6-1 may be a bit exaggerated. We wanted to show ourselves here, but despite some good moments we failed a bit. Antwerp is a top club, there is a fantastic atmosphere here. It was a dream draw, but they were too strong. My goal was a fantastic moment for me personally. My 100th goal for Deinze, I will never forget that “It’s a shame that we couldn’t maintain that good period after my goal, because after the 4-1 it was a house of cards.”
- Tjaronn Chery (Antwerp): “It is always difficult against these types of opponents, but we did well. I am happy with the love I receive from the fans, but I remain calm about it. With Vincent (Janssen, ed. .) I have a good connection. I sense what actions he wants and the same applies the other way around. We are doing well and we must continue like this. The other players are also doing well, there is a lot of quality in our team.”
Reactions after the match:
End
Job done for Antwerp. With a convincing performance, topped off with 6 goals, second division club Deinze quickly left the cup and advanced to the 1/8th finals.
Udoh and Vandeplas come close to 7-1, but Dutoit puts a stop to that twice. Vandeplas is also flagged for offside.
Antwerp strikes again in the end: 6-1
Valencia adds one more
It will be a real punishment for Deinze, because Valencia also scores his second goal of the evening. Kerk perseveres well and brings the ball low in front of goal and Valencia scores in one go via the crossbar.
Another fresh force for Antwerp. Goal scorer Corbanie is brought in for Verstraeten.
Deinze goalkeeper comes out a bit quickly, Chery scores his 2nd: 5-1
Double change
Chery can rest immediately after his second goal. He is replaced by Udoh. Janssen is also leaving, Vandeplas is his replacement.
Chery with his second!
There’s number five for Antwerp! Vansteenkiste is just able to steal the ball from Chery who has broken through, but Valencia has followed well and serves Chery again. He doesn’t hesitate and aims his second of the evening.
Long drawn-out attack with Kerk in the leading role, Valencia finishes it: 4-1
Valencia extends the lead
Halfway through the second half, Antwerp moves further away from Deinze. Dutoit is able to keep Kerk from making it 4-1 with an excellent save, but in the aftermath the goalkeeper has no chance on Valencia’s place ball.
Valencia is able to push through again on the right, but his cross does not get past Dutoit. Antwerp is now playing with the handbrake. Another important appointment awaits on Sunday, in the top match against Racing Genk.
Antwerp has been sloppy and no longer playing football for 10 minutes now, actually since the 3-0.
Filip Joos
Deinze seems to have taken courage from the goal. The visitors actually scored two corner kicks in a row, but they did not lead to a goal attempt.
Sparkle of hope? Mertens heads in the 3-1
100th goal for Mertens!
Lo and behold, Deinze actually hits back straight away! Daci paints the ball on Mertens’ head. The substitute trumps Van den Bosch and also leaves Butez behind. For Mertens it is his 100th goal in the Deinze shirt, the honor of the visitors has been saved. Or is there more to it?
Chery completes a great Antwerp attack: 3-0
Chery decides the match
It’s already party time for the Antwerp supporters again, after a well-played attack. After less than three minutes, Chery takes a shot from the edge of the sixteen. He aims the ball through Welch’s legs and out of Dutoit’s reach. Books are allowed, that much is now clear.
Deinze is unable to contain the pressure from Antwerp, who puts together a strong performance in their cup match. Despite the visitors experiencing some moments of resilience, the home side took control early on, scoring two quick goals in succession during the first half.
Vincent Janssen opened the scoring with an angled shot, quickly followed by a stunning effort from Corbanie, which put Antwerp ahead by two goals within just two minutes. In the second half, Tjaronn Chery contributed significantly, scoring two goals and assisting on two others, showcasing his quality and connection with teammates like Janssen and Valencia.
Although Deinze’s Mertens managed to score his 100th goal for the club, securing a moment of personal glory amidst an overwhelming defeat, it was not enough to shift the momentum. Antwerp continued their impressive form, wrapping up the match with a final score of 6-1. The victory solidified Antwerp’s place in the next round of the cup and highlighted their continued undefeated streak in recent league matches.
In sum:
– Key moment: Two goals by Antwerp within two minutes set the tone for the game.
– Man of the Match: Tjaronn Chery for his pivotal role in the match.
– Remarkable: Antwerp’s ongoing undefeated streak at home since late August.
The final goals were as follows:
1. Janssen 29′ 1-0
2. Corbanie 31′ 2-0
3. Chery 48′ 3-0
4. Mertens 53′ 3-1
5. Valencia 68′ 4-1
6. Chery 71’ 5-1
7. Valencia 87′ 6-1
The match served as a harsh reminder of the gap between leagues, but also highlighted the individual moments that make football memorable, such as Mertens’ milestone.
