Ex-Tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld scored a stoppage-time equaliser to hand Royal Antwerp the Belgian title in a dramatic end to the season on Sunday.
In the dying minutes of a three-way race for the title, Racing Genk and then Union Saint-Gilloise were set to become league champions.
But Antwerp's Alderweireld struck in the 94th minute to make it 2-2 at Genk.
And that sparked wild celebrations as it was enough to hand his hometown club their first title in 66 years.
"I have no words for this," said Alderweireld, 34, who joined Antwerp from Qatari side Al-Duhail last summer.
"Everyone wrote us off, we fought so hard for this. Everyone was against us, but we did it today."
Antwerp finished the season one point ahead of Genk and Union, who were set to become Belgian champions for the first time in 88 years having only ended a 48-year absence from the top flight in 2021.
In the 89th minute of the last championship play-off matches, Antwerp looked out of the race as they trailed 2-1 while Union were 1-0 up at home over Club Brugge.
But Japanese striker Shion Homma equalised for an under-strength Brugge to thrust Genk, who only had an outside chance before kick-off, into pole position.
At Genk, six minutes of added time were indicated and in the fourth, Alderweireld fired into the top corner from 20 yards to stun the home crowd, with coach Mark van Bommel and some of his staff charging on to the field to celebrate as the former Belgium defender ran the length of the field in front of the Antwerp fans.
Meanwhile, Union, owned by Brighton owner Tony Bloom, ultimately lost 3-1 as Brugge struck twice more in stoppage time.
Line-ups
KRC Genk
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 26Vandevoordt
- 23Muñoz
- 46CuestaSubstituted forOuattaraat 71'minutes
- 2McKenzie
- 5Arteaga
- 8Heynen
- 17Hrosovsky
- 28PaintsilBooked at 69mins
- 34El KhannoussSubstituted forSorat 86'minutes
- 11Trésor
- 99ArokodareSubstituted forSamattaat 78'minutes
Substitutes
- 4Ouattara
- 7Samatta
- 14Sor
- 19Ait El Hadj
- 24Oyen
- 40Leysen
- 77Preciado
Royal Antwerp
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Butez
- 34Bataille
- 23Alderweireld
- 51Pacho
- 22Ávila
- 27KeitaSubstituted forYusufat 78'minutes
- 48Vermeeren
- 24EkkelenkampSubstituted forMujaat 71'minutes
- 7KerkBooked at 47minsSubstituted forScottat 90'minutes
- 18Janssen
- 10BalikwishaBooked at 90mins
Substitutes
- 8Yusuf
- 11Muja
- 26De Wolf
- 32Scott
- 33Van Den Bosch
- 38Haroun
- 50Krasniqi
- Referee:
- Nathan Verboomen
- Attendance:
- 22,196
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home53%
- Away47%
- Shots
- Home7
- Away14
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away4
- Corners
- Home1
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home12
- Away15
Comments
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Poch > PSG
Walker > City
Trippier > A. Madrid
Paulinho > Barca
Stambouli > PSG
Eriksen > Inter/Man U
N’koudou > Lille
Llorente/N’dombele > Napoli
Defoe > Rangers
Foyth/Capoue > Villa Real
Vertonghen > Benfica
Alderweirald > Al Duhail/R Antwerp
Janssen > Monterrey
Vinicius > PSV
Bryan Gil/Lamela > Sevilla
We guarantee u a trophy
Congratulations Royal Antwerp … great win after so many years since your last championship
Can any experts on Belgian football explain how it works. Many thanks.