Former Tottenham Star Nets Last Minute Winner to Win Antwerp’s First Title in 66 Years

Former Tottenham Star Nets Last Minute Winner to Win Antwerp’s First Title in 66 Years

Elijah Odetokun
updated at June 5, 2023 at 8:43 AM
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  • The Belgian Pro League drew to a close yesterday and it was not short of late drama
  • Royal Antwerp, Genk and Royale Union Saint-Gilloise were all up for the title on the final day
  • Antwerp nicked it with a 2-2 draw against Genk via a last-minute goal from Toby Alderweireld

Toby Alderweireld was the hero for Royal Antwerp yesterday as they claimed their first Belgian Pro League title since 1957 in dramatic fashion.

Four teams were involved in the Championship round - Club Brugge, Antwerp, Union SG and Genk but the last three were eligible to win it on the final day.

All three teams needed to win at least, but for Antwerp, a draw would be enough if Club Brugge beat Union, and as fate would have it, they were beaten 3-1.

Toby Alderweireld, Genk, Royal Antwerp, Belgian Pro League.
Toby Alderweireld celebrates after scoring the title-winning goal for Royal Antwerp. Photo by ANP.
Source: Getty Images

Genk led the game till the additional minute and looked set to end their rivals’ hope, but it was far from over, and they conceded a last-minute equaliser.

Alderweireld scores title-winning equaliser

Former Tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld was the hero Antwerp needed yesterday when he hit a rocket from 25 yards out to equalise and win the title for his team.

According to Sun Sport, it was their first title in 66 years since the 1956/57 season, and it came six years after they returned to the first division, having spent 13 years in the Jupiler League.

The Guardian adds that the title celebrations could have come last week, bar a late equaliser against Union, and in a similar version yesterday, they won it.

Alderweireld spent six years at Tottenham, racking up over 200 appearances before moving to Saudi Arabia with Al-Duhail and switching to his hometown club a year later. He has 47 appearances and helped the club to a domestic double.

Alderweireld joins winners' list

Sports Brief earlier collated a list of players who left Tottenham Hotspur and went on to win trophies, as the North London club have not won since 2008.

The 34-year-old is the latest to win a league title since leaving Spurs—a list which includes Christian Eriksen, Kyle Walker, Gareth Bale, and Tanguy Ndombele, amongst others.

This should give a wake-up call to Harry Kane, whose future at the club remains uncertain as he is yet to win a trophy in his career despite being the all-time top scorer for both club and country.

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Elijah Odetokun photo
Elijah Odetokun
Elijah Odetokun is Reuters-trained journalist with three years of experience having previously worked at Daily Times Nigeria, OmaSports and El Futbolero.