Dender had been the surprise package this season in the Belgian Pro League. The club with the smallest budget in the Pro League had been sitting just outside the top six for a long time, defying pre season expectations of a immediate return to the second tier. However, a run of just one win in nine games see’s them entering the final weekend with every chance of slipping into the bottom four and having to fight against relegation in the play-downs.
This poor run has come at the worst possible time for the club, who may well have been safe if they could have just picked up one other win in this time. Should they fall into that bottom four by the end of Sunday, the game against OH Leuven will be the one they will feel that they should have won. With just minutes left, the side were 2-1 up but ended up losing 3-2. That win would have given them 35 points, a three point lead over Cercle Brugge and the bottom four.
They followed that defeat with a 0-0 draw to basement side Beerschot. In many respects this may well be seen as a point gained given they played most of the game with 10 men. Yet this game came before back to back matches against Union St Gilloise and Genk, two sides chasing the title. Union beat them 4-1 while they succumbed once again late on to lose to Genk. If they can beat Mechelen, who secured their survival last weekend, then they will be guaranteed of playing Pro League football again next season.
GBeNeFNÂ |Â Ben Jackson
