Anderlecht's European opener hinges on Sikan's free‑kick in Sweden

Anderlecht travel to Stockholm tonight for the second qualifying round of the Europa League against Hammarby, with the match streamed LIVE on VTM2. Ukrainian striker Danylo Sikan is expected to lead the attack as the club aims to secure a good start to its Europese campaign.

The Oekraïense striker Danylo Sikan blasts a free‑kick over the wall and into the net, delivering the opening goal for Anderlecht. The moment follows a set‑piece taken by Nathan Saliba, who had positioned himself around the penalty area before Sikan demanded the ball.

Nathan Saliba, fresh from the World Cup, takes a free‑kick that finds Sikan, who then scores a spectacular finish. The goal underscores Saliba's involvement in the build‑up and highlights the importance of set‑piece execution for the team.

Vitor Bruno, the new head coach, stressed a “Winning - identity” during his pre‑match press conference. Met his emphasis on a winning mindset, he added that Anderlecht will not settle for a draw and aims to bring the badge back to its rightful place.

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The team’s travel faced a small hiccup: a tow‑bar failure caused a roughly twenty‑minute delay before the flight to Stockholm. Het journey to the Swedish capital was estimated at 1h50, and the squad arrived in time for the pre‑match walk‑around.

highlighted the referee for the evening, Donald Robertson, a 39‑year‑old Scottish official with 15 years of experience. He has overseen 543 matches, issuing 1,756 yellow cards, 93 reds and 133 penalties, though he has yet to officiate a Champions League final.

Fans can follow live statistics on Google-favorietliveblogStatistiekenOpstellingliveblogBekijk, and the match will also be broadcast on VTM. Over 383 Anderlecht supporters are travelling to the 33,000‑seat stadium in Zweden, where Hammarby hopes to create a heksenketel atmosphere for the paars‑wit visitors.

De excitement surrounding the tie reflects the contrast between Anderlecht’s four‑week preparation and Hammarby’s fourteen‑month season rhythm. The club’s ambition is clear: qualify for the Europa League group stage and avoid last year’s early exit.