In a thrilling clash on April 27, 2025, Patro Eisden secured their place in the finals of the Promotion Play-offs by defeating SK Beveren 2-1 at the Freethiel stadium. The match was marred by a controversial early red card that put Beveren at a disadvantage, ultimately leading to their downfall.
Patro Eisden, who had already taken a narrow 3-2 lead from the first leg, came into the match with a clear strategy: capitalize on any mistakes made by their opponents. However, the game took a decisive turn in the 32nd minute when Beveren veteran Christian Brüls received a red card for a reckless challenge. This critical moment left his team with ten men for the remainder of the match, significantly altering the dynamics on the pitch.
Just two minutes after Brüls’ dismissal, Patro Eisden struck first. Vicky Kiankaulua, taking advantage of a swift counterattack, found the back of the net to give his team a 1-0 lead. With the momentum firmly in their favor, Patro Eisden continued to press, and shortly after halftime, they doubled their advantage when Stef Peeters expertly finished off a well-coordinated attack.
Despite being down and seemingly out, Beveren managed to rally and found a glimmer of hope late in the game. Lennart Mertens scored in the final minutes, igniting a brief surge of excitement among the home fans. However, it was too little, too late, as Patro Eisden held on to secure a 2-1 victory, thus sealing their place in the finals against Lokeren-Temse.
The stakes are high for Patro Eisden, who are now just one step away from achieving their first promotion to Belgium's first division in 64 years. The last time they competed at the highest level was during the 1960-1961 season, making this potential promotion a historic moment for the club and its supporters.
Meanwhile, in another match on the same day, RWDM faced Lokeren-Temse in a must-win situation after losing the first leg 0-2. The home team started strong, with Mickaël Biron converting a penalty after a handball from Jonas Vinck, putting RWDM ahead 1-0. The momentum continued as Sapata scored after a rebound, making it 2-0 and leveling the aggregate score.
As the home crowd erupted in cheers, RWDM seemed poised to complete a remarkable comeback. Gaetan Robail added a third goal, pushing the score to 3-0 and sending the fans into a frenzy. However, Lokeren-Temse was not done yet. Radja Nainggolan struck back, scoring a crucial goal to bring the aggregate score to 3-1.
In a dramatic finish, Samuel Ntamack scored again for Lokeren-Temse, narrowing the score to 3-2. This late surge from the visitors dashed RWDM's hopes of promotion, leaving them to ponder what could have been.
As a result, Lokeren-Temse will now face Patro Eisden in the finals, with the first leg scheduled for May 3, 2025, and the second leg on May 11, 2025. The winner of this matchup will then face the second-place team from the Relegation Play-Downs of the Jupiler Pro League on May 18 and May 23, 2025, in a bid for a place in the top tier of Belgian football.
This upcoming final promises to be an epic showdown, with Patro Eisden aiming to end their long wait for promotion while Lokeren-Temse seeks to capitalize on their recent victory over RWDM. Fans from both clubs are eagerly anticipating what could be a historic moment in their respective histories.
