Mechelen snatched a last-minute 3-2 victory over RAAL La Louvière in a thrilling match. Moroccans Bilal Bafdili and Redouane Halhal were the key figures behind this late turnaround.
In full control of the game and leading at halftime, Mechelen seemed on course for an easy victory. Their dominance continued early in the second half, led by a brilliant Moncef Zekri. In the 62nd minute, the Moroccan’s powerful shot forced Peano into a top-class save to avert danger. However, against all expectations, the match turned a few minutes later. Two crucial mistakes—a own goal by goalkeeper De Wolf (69’) and another strike by Halhal (86’)—completely reversed the outcome.
But with RAAL leading 2-1 just minutes from the final whistle, La Louvière experienced a Hitchcockian twist and a cruel disappointment. It was Bilal Bafdili who sparked the comeback, delivering a decisive pass to Lion Lauberbach, who equalized in the 90th minute, bringing the score to 2-2.
The match’s ending proved even harsher for RAAL, especially for Redouane Halhal. The player, who had scored an own goal in the 86th minute, redeemed himself spectacularly. In stoppage time, at 90+5, he delivered a decisive pass to Lauberbach, who netted the winning goal. In just a few minutes, Halhal went from unlucky to hero.
In addition to the Moroccan players at Mechelen, Sami Lahssaini featured for La Louvière. For his team, the outcome remains harsh: this defeat keeps them in 14th place with just 4 points from 6 matches. Conversely, this crucial win allows Mechelen to make a strong move, temporarily rising to 3rd place with 11 points. However, this position could change depending on the upcoming results of Anderlecht and Bruges, who both have two games in hand.
