Cercle Brugge's late equaliser forces Anderlecht to rethink defence

Zwak Anderlecht arrived at the Jan Breydel Stadium on Saturday, 10 October 2026, to face Cercle Brugge in Jupiler Pro League matchday eight. The game, streamed live on the Jupiler Pro League LIVE programme, ended 1‑1 after a first‑half strike by Abdoulie Manneh and a late equaliser from Tawfik Bentayeb.

Early dominance and first goal

Anderlecht entered the match looking fragile, while Cercle Brugge applied early pressure, forcing the visitors onto the back foot. Steve Ngoura was shown a Geel card in the fourth minute after a late challenge on a Cercle attacker, a decision that underscored the physical intensity of the opening exchanges. Abdoulie Manneh seized the initiative in the eleventh minute, latching onto a quick pass and slotting the ball past the goalkeeper, before being withdrawn for Dante Vanzeir at the 59th minute as the Belgian side sought fresh impetus.

Mid‑game changes and missed chances

The second half saw a flurry of substitutions as both managers reshuffled their benches, with Charles Herrmann coming on for Viggo Martens and Marco Kana replacing Mario Stroeykens. Ludwig Augustinsson left the pitch for Adriano Bertaccini, while Tunde Akinsola made way for Abdoul Kader Ouattara, highlighting the depth of the squads and the presence of the Van family names across the line‑ups. The Jupiler Pro League LIVE broadcast, part of the broader Voetbal programme that also covers Tennis, Formule 1 and the Challenger Pro League, noted that neither side created a clear opening despite the presence of Champions, Europa and Conference league hopefuls. Both teams missed several chances, including a saved shot by Coosemans after a corner from Stroeykens, and the match remained tightly contested.

Late drama and equaliser

In the 86th minute, Tawfik Bentayeb headed home the equaliser for Cercle Brugge after a cross slipped past the Anderlecht defence, delivering a decisive blow to the visitors' hopes. The goal sparked applause from the Jan Breydel crowd and was replayed on the LIVE feed, underlining the drama of the final minutes. Het Belgian football scene, as the commentary noted, was back in action after a brief lull, with both clubs showing resilience despite the earlier Geel incident. The result leaves Anderlecht still searching for a winning formula as they head into the next league round.

The draw means both teams share a point from matchday eight of the Jupiler Pro League, keeping the table tightly contested and ensuring that more opportunities may arise for either side as the season progresses, with the competition now fully underway.