MVV vs SK Beveren

The home side needed only four minutes to open the scoring, catching the Beveren defence cold with an early finish. MVV's lead lasted nine minutes. A foul on Lennert Mertens in the box gave the referee no choice but to point to the spot, and Lokesa converted confidently to make it 1-1 after 13 minutes.

Beveren's joy lasted only eight minutes. MVV restored their lead from a corner in the 21st minute, making it 2-1 despite goalkeeper Tshiolola's earlier save from open play.

The visitors responded again before the half-hour mark. Abrahams found the net in the 30th minute to level the score at 2-2, after both Brüls and Abrahams himself had gone close in the opening exchanges.

Just before half-time, Beveren took the lead for the first time. Janssens struck in the 44th minute to make it 2-3, and Lokesa nearly added a fourth only to be denied by a goal-line clearance. The score at the break: 2-3.

The second half was a quieter affair for long spells. MVV pushed for an equaliser but Beveren's defence held firm. The game appeared to be drifting towards a tense finish when Slegers produced a superb strike from distance in the 85th minute, curling the ball beyond the MVV goalkeeper to make it 2-4.

MVV refused to fade. They pulled one back in the 87th minute, setting up a frantic finish, but Beveren held on for a 3-4 victory.

Slegers' 85th-minute thunderbolt from outside the box. Until that moment, MVV had grown into the second half and looked capable of finding an equaliser. The timing — with only five minutes of regular time left — effectively killed the contest, even if MVV's late consolation made the closing stages nervy for the visitors.

Lokesa (SK Beveren): Scored the crucial penalty to draw Beveren level at 1-1 and was a constant threat, forcing a goal-line clearance just before half-time.

Slegers (SK Beveren): Provided the assist for Brüls' early chance and scored the decisive 2-4 goal with a fine long-range strike in the 85th minute.

Abrahams (SK Beveren): Took his goal well in the 30th minute and had earlier gone close with a shot that whistled wide.

MVV's individual scorers were not named in available match reports, though the team's attacking threat was evident across both halves.

The 3-2 half-time scoreline reflected a breathless first 45 minutes that produced five goals. The second half yielded only two, both after the 85th minute, reflecting a more controlled period where Beveren absorbed pressure before striking decisively on the counter. The match was played at De Geusselt in Maastricht, a 10,000-capacity stadium with synthetic turf — conditions both sides used to test fitness and sharpness in pre-season.

For SK Beveren, this is a confidence-building win in their pre-season preparations for the 2026-27 Challenger Pro League campaign. The ability to come from behind twice and show composure late in a friendly suggests encouraging squad depth. MVV, preparing for the Dutch Eerste Divisie season, will be concerned by defensive lapses but can take heart from their willingness to keep attacking at 2-4 down.

Both sides continue their pre-season schedule, with the new season expected to begin in August 2026.

A typically chaotic pre-season friendly — seven goals, defensive errors on both sides, and moments of individual quality that decided it. Beveren's resilience in coming from behind twice and Slegers' late winner were the standout features. MVV have work to do defensively but showed enough attacking intent to suggest they will cause problems in the Eerste Divisie.