KV Mechelen win Play off II

A 2-1 win on the night and an aggregate score of 4-3 over two legs was enough to secure KV Mechelen a place in a two-leg play off against the team that finishes 5th in Play off I for a place in the preliminary round of next season’s Europa League.

Having drawn the first leg of the Play off II final against Sporting Lokeren 2-2, KV Mechelen had the advantage on away goals. With renovation work already having started on Malinwa’s stadium in Mechelen (Antwerp province) they played their “home” leg of the Play off II final in Leuven (Flemish Brabant) at OHL’s Den Dreef Stadium.

KV Mechelen got off to a strong start and took an early lead on 6 minutes through Hanni (small photo). Lokeren needed to score twice if they were to win. However, they created little in the way of first half chances. In the second half, Kosanovic made it 2-0 on the night for KV Mechelen on 56 minutes.

Things got even worse for Sporting Lokeren when they went down to 10 men on 73 minutes after Hans Vanaken was sent off for his second bookable offence. The game was no all but beyond Sporting Lokeren’s reach.

A Maric penalty in the 2nd minute of injury time was too little, too late for the East Flemings. The match was the Lokeren's Peter Maes' last as the team's Coach. He is leaving the club after 5 years at the helm.

KV Mechelen will now play the team that finishes 5th in Play off I over two legs (on Thursday 28 and Sunday 31 May) for a place in the qualifying round of next season’s Europa League.

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