Neelien beat Rupel Boom 3:1 in the Cup round of 64 on Saturday evening. The match finished at 18:00 local time. It was a straightforward result for the hosts despite what had come before.
And here's the thing about Neelien — they had not been faring well lately. A 0:4 defeat to Lierse Kempenzonen in June was followed by another heavy loss. By then this win would have felt like a turning point rather than a fluke.
Rupel Boom came in with mixed recent form. They had lost 0:3 to Mechelen and 0:2 to Knokke, but also picked up two wins against lower opposition. To be fair, they had shown they could compete when the occasion arose.
The three goals against one tells its own story. Neelien found a way through when it mattered. Rupel Boom saw it out despite the scoreboard not favouring them. The deeper squad often makes the difference in these early-round ties.
The result moves Neelien another step forward in the competition. Rupel Boom's Cup campaign ends here. The 3:1 margin suggests the hosts controlled enough of the game to deserve their place in the next round.
