Westerlo and Zulte Waregem Share Points in Goal-Fest
Westerlo and Zulte Waregem played out a 2:2 draw in the Jupiler Pro League on Saturday evening. The match at Het Kooipje was a back-and-forth affair with four goals in as many half-hours. To be fair, neither side deserved to lose after such an open contest.
Saito gave the hosts an early lead in the eighth minute, but Hedl brought Zulte Waregem level before the interval. The Belgian visitors had already shown they could compete away from home this season. By then, the momentum was shifting between the two sides.
Bassette restored Westerlo's advantage with a penalty in the 48th minute. Hedl responded with his second goal of the match in the 63rd minute, and the game was effectively decided after that. The hosts made several changes to try and find a winner, bringing on Congreve and Saito in the 87th minute.
Atrok, Bassette, Ourega and Hedl were among those to come off the bench during the second half. Flo picked up a yellow card for Westerlo as the match tightened up. The substitutions reflected the urgency on both sides when the game needed a decisive moment.
Westerlo controlled possession at 54 per cent and created five big chances, but their shooting accuracy of 44 per cent meant they could not convert enough opportunities. Zulte Waregem managed 105 attacks despite having less of the ball, and their goalkeeper made five saves. The visitors had 36 per cent shot accuracy and could not find the net more than once from seven attempts on target.
The result keeps Zulte Waregem in fourth place with eight points from four games. They have not lost a match this season and remain unbeaten. Westerlo sit 16th with just one point and need to turn things around quickly.