KV Mechelen lost a friendly match against AC Milan on Saturday. The Italian giants proved too strong for the Belgian side in a game that served as preparation for the return of league action.
Coach Besnik Hasi's team faced a tough challenge against Milan's experienced squad. Despite some dangerous moments from the hosts, including a chance for top scorer M. Van Brederode, the score remained level for a long period. The Dutchman leads KV Mechelen's scoring charts this season with three goals. It was only in the second half that the Italians broke the deadlock, eventually showing their quality.
Hasi sees useful test
Besnik Hasi, the KV Mechelen manager, reacted positively to the resistance his team faced. "This was exactly the kind of test we needed," Hasi said. "You play against a world-class team and that forces you to make mistakes and learn from them." The coach stressed that the focus is now entirely on the next official fixture.
That next assignment is an away game against Lommel United this coming Saturday. KV Mechelen currently sit 16th in the Jupiler Pro League with just two points from six matches. Recent form is a concern, with no win in the last five league games. The most recent result was a 0-1 defeat to Anderlecht. The full standings show a fourteen-point gap to leaders Union St. Gilloise.
Preparation for key phase
The friendly against Milan was part of the preparation for a key phase in the league campaign. With injury issues in defence, players like Adeshina Ayodele and Keano Vanrafelghem are sidelined longer-term, testing different options was a priority. The team trialled new combinations both in defence and midfield.
Attention now turns directly to Lommel. "We need to pick up points, that's clear," Hasi explained. "Every game is important now to climb out of the lower reaches." The coach will hope the lessons against Milan translate into more resilience and organisation. The lineup for the upcoming match can be found on our squad page, which also shows the current injury status.
The run of six league games without a win, including defeats to Westerlo (0-4) and Charleroi (2-0), increases the pressure for a result. A view of the upcoming chances to earn points is available in the fixtures. The team travels to the Daknamstadion on Saturday for the clash with Lommel United, who themselves sit in 12th place.
The original report is at Sofascore
