Ghanaian forward Mohammed Fuseini was the hero of the day as he netted the only goal in Royale Union Saint-Gilloise’s narrow 1-0 victory over rivals RSC Anderlecht in a tightly-contested Belgian Pro League clash at Lotto Park.
The 22-year-old continued his fine form, not just with his finishing, but with the blistering speed that has turned heads across Europe.
Fuseini clocked a top speed of 37.58 km/h during the game — a mark that eclipses even the fastest players in the UEFA Champions League and English Premier League this season.
From the opening whistle, both teams showed attacking intent, but it was Union SG who settled quicker into the rhythm of the game.
Anderlecht dominated possession early on, pushing high up the pitch, but found it difficult to break down Union’s disciplined backline.
Midway through the first half, Union Saint-Gilloise began to exploit spaces behind the Anderlecht defense.
It was in the 39th minute that the breakthrough finally came. A quick turnover in midfield saw Union SG spring forward with pace.
Cameron Puertas threaded a precise through ball into the path of Fuseini, who timed his run perfectly to stay onside.
With his explosive acceleration, Fuseini outpaced two defenders, carried the ball into the box, and coolly slotted it past Anderlecht goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel with a low-driven shot into the far corner.
The goal silenced the home crowd and put Union ahead just before halftime.
In the second half, Anderlecht pressed harder for an equalizer, introducing attacking reinforcements, including Belgian international Thorgan Hazard.
However, the Union SG defense stood firm, with goalkeeper Anthony Moris pulling off a couple of key saves to deny Luis Vázquez and Anders Dreyer.
Fuseini remained a constant threat on the counter and nearly doubled his tally in the 75th minute, but his effort from the edge of the box whistled just wide.
Despite a late push by the hosts, Union held on for all three points — a massive result in their title challenge.
Mohammed Fuseini has scored seven goals in 31 appearances for Royale Union SG this season.
