Franz Boren beat Anderlecht II 3:2 in the Challenger Pro League on Thursday evening. It was the sixth round of the regular season and the hosts took all three points despite a shaky finish. To be fair, the visitors had chances but couldn't convert them when it mattered.
The opening exchanges were tight until the visitors came close at the 18th minute, though a penalty for Thomas Foket was cancelled by VAR. Then Franz Boren woke up. Pape Aliya N'dao scored at 36 minutes, followed immediately by Raymond Asante. Willsem Boussaid made it three before the break, catching the defence off guard.
Anderlecht II pushed back after the interval and almost got one back early on. Roméo Monticelli's spot-kick was ruled out by VAR, denying them a lifeline. That seemed to shift the momentum entirely. Dorian Dessoleil pulled one back at 64 minutes, giving the away side hope. But Maxime Bastian restored the two-goal lead at 65 minutes, and his effort was confirmed as a valid goal shortly after.
The game opened up and the players started showing their frustration. Omar Sarr was sent off in the 90th minute, leaving Anderlecht II with ten men. By then, the hosts were comfortable enough to see it out, even with substitutions coming on to manage the chaos.
And here's the thing, the visitors had more possession but less danger. Franz Boren had 48 per cent of the ball but created more threat, registering six shots on target compared to the visitors' two. Anderlecht II held 52 per cent of the ball but failed to create a single big chance. It was a case of taking what you get rather than waiting for an opening.
This result keeps Franz Boren fifth in the table with nine points from four games. Anderlecht II remain rooted to the bottom with just one point after five matches. The hosts have won three of their outings so far, while the visitors are searching for their first victory. The gap between them is widening fast.