2018 Belgian Cup final

The 2018 Belgian Cup final, named Croky Cup after the sponsor, was the 63rd Belgian Cup final and took place on 17 March 2018. The match was played between Genk, who qualified on 6 February 2018, and Standard Liège who qualified two days later. In a dull match without many chances, Standard Liège won after extra time with the only goal coming from Renaud Emond at the beginning of extra time. As a result, Standard Liège qualified for the 2018–19 UEFA Europa League Group stage.

2018 Belgian Cup final
Event2017–18 Belgian Cup
After extra time
Date17 March 2018
VenueKing Baudouin Stadium, Brussels
Man of the MatchRenaud Emond
RefereeJonathan Lardot
Attendance44,807

Standard had already won the cup seven times (out of 16 finals), with their last win in 2016 against Club Brugge. Genk made its fifth appearance in the Belgian Cup Final and had won on all four previous occasions. The 2000 Belgian Cup Final also featured Genk and Standard, with Genk overcoming an early deficit to win by four goals to one.

Route to the final

Genk Standard Liège
Opponent Result Legs Scorers Round Opponent Result Legs Scorers
Cercle Brugge (II) 1–0 1–0 away Pozuelo Sixth round Heist (III) 4–0 4–0 home Carlinhos, Marin, , Čop
Mechelen (I) 1–1 (a.e.t.) (5–4 p) 1–1 away Ingvartsen Seventh round Anderlecht (I) 1–0 1–0 away Carlinhos
Waasland-Beveren (I) 3–3 (a.e.t.) (4–2 p) 3–3 home Malinovskyi (2), Trossard Quarter-finals Oostende (I) 3–2 3–2 away , Marin, Emond
Kortrijk (I) 3–3 (a.g.) 2–3 away; 1–0 home Ingvartsen, Buffel; Seck Semi-finals Club Brugge (I) 6–4 4–1 home; 2–3 away Emond (3), Edmilson; , Emond

Match

Summary

On an ice cold evening, both teams offered a very meagre display as the match started with many fouls and fierce duels, but without any chances. About 15 minutes into the match, a header from Renaud Emond that landed on top of the goal was the first meaningful event. As both teams did not succeed to set up successful combinations, they started trying long range shots, but neither Răzvan Marin nor Ibrahima Seck managed to keep their shots on target. Nikos Karelis did, but his shot was correctly disallowed for offside. Key players Alejandro Pozuelo and Mehdi Carcela were nowhere to be seen and only set pieces some small chances in the remainder of the first half, with both Christian Luyindama and Joseph Aidoo putting their headers off target.

The second half did not prove to be much better, Standard Liège started best with dangerous long distance kicks from Edmilson Junior and Collins Fai but still the match remained without a single effort on target. Alejandro Pozuelo was very much invisible, but almost benefited from a mistake from Luis Pedro Cavanda, before his assist was snatched away by Jean-François Gillet just before Nikos Karelis could get to it. A deflected shot from Răzvan Marin caused some minor excitement at the other end of the pitch. It took until the very end of the second half before a first attempt on target was made, Joseph Aidoo almost headed in the winner on a corner kick, but a stunning reflex from Jean-François Gillet denied his effort.

In the extra-time, Standard Liège started furiously, with a back-heel pass from Paul-José M'Poku setting up Mehdi Carcela to give a perfect assist for Renaud Emond who headed in the ball past Danny Vukovic. Genk now had to advance quickly and almost got lucky as a cross from Bojan Nastić nearly landed in goal. A free-kick from Ruslan Malinovskyi just missed the goal. In the second half of the extra-time, Genk was not able to get past Gillet, despite efforts from Leandro Trossard. The game had also become extra fierce, forcing referee Jonathan Lardot to give several yellow cards, eventually even sending off Bojan Nastić just minutes before time.[1]

Details

Genk0–1 (a.e.t.)Standard Liège
report Emond 92'
Genk
Standard Liège
GK1Australia Danny Vukovic
RB27Angola Clinton MataYellow card 82'
CB45Ghana Joseph Aidoo
CB15The Gambia Omar Colley
LB3Serbia Bojan NastićYellow card 90' Yellow-red card 120+1'
CM17Senegal Ibrahima Seck
CM24Spain Alejandro Pozuelo
CM18Ukraine Ruslan Malinovskyidownward-facing red arrow 110'
RW19Belgium Thomas BuffelYellow card 109'
CF7Greece Nikos Karelisdownward-facing red arrow 74'
LW77Democratic Republic of the Congo Dieumerci NdongalaYellow card 62'downward-facing red arrow 64'
Substitutes:
DF4Belgium Dries Woutersupward-facing green arrow 110'
DF6Belgium Sébastien Dewaest
FW10Tanzania Mbwana SamattaYellow card 90+1'upward-facing green arrow 74'
FW14Belgium Leandro Trossardupward-facing green arrow 64'
FW22Belgium Siebe Schrijvers
GK30Belgium Nordin Jackers
DF31Denmark Joakim Mæhle
Manager:
Belgium Philippe Clement
GK1Belgium Jean-François Gillet
RB29Belgium Luis Pedro Cavanda
CB26Democratic Republic of the Congo Christian LuyindamaYellow card 105'
CB24Greece Giorgos Koutroubis
LB21Cameroon Collins FaiYellow card 82'
CM6Bosnia and Herzegovina Gojko Cimirot
CM18Romania Răzvan MarinYellow card 103'
RW22Belgium Edmilson Juniordownward-facing red arrow 97'
AM10Morocco Mehdi CarcelaYellow card 105'downward-facing red arrow 105'
LW40Democratic Republic of the Congo Paul-José M'PokuYellow card 67'
CF9Belgium Renaud Emonddownward-facing red arrow 120+2'
Substitutes:
DF2Haiti Réginal Goreux
FW7Croatia Duje Čopupward-facing green arrow 97'
GK13Mexico Guillermo Ochoa
DF15Belgium Sébastien Pocognoliupward-facing green arrow 120+2'
MF19Mali Moussa DjenepoYellow card 116'upward-facing green arrow 105'
FW25Brazil Carlinhos
MF30Albania Lindon Selahi
Manager:
Portugal Ricardo Sá Pinto

Match rules

  • 90 minutes.
  • 30 minutes of extra time if necessary.
  • Penalty shoot-out if scores still level.
  • Seven named substitutes.
  • Maximum of three substitutions.

Footnotes

    1. "Emond knikt Standard na verlengingen naar bekerwinst" [Emond heads Standard to cup victory after extra time]. sporza.be. 17 March 2018. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
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