AA Gent down KV Mechelen, clinch a European ticket
In football, KAA Gent have won the Europe play-offs, clinching a ticket for the Conference League preliminaries next season. The Ghent team beat KV Mechelen 1-2 in an all-or-nothing confrontation on the last of 6 days of play.
It was in-form playmaker Roman Bezus of the Ukraine who made the difference for KAA Gent in Mechelen. He hit the bar with a header before the break, but headed home the 0-1 in the second half. Bezus also gave an assist for substitute Tarik Tissoudali who made it 0-2.
KV Mechelen striker Ferdi Druijf pulled one back from the penalty spot but AA Gent stood strong and won it. The ticket for the Conference League qualifiers is a consolation prize for the ambitious AA Gent who actually wanted to play the Champions' play-offs with the top-4 to battle it out for the title, but who had a disappointing first part of the season.
Newly-crowned champions Club Brugge host Cup winners KRC Genk this evening, while Antwerp FC and Anderlecht battle it out for third place and the final ticket for the Europa League.