Mbokani’s brace powers 10-man Royal Antwerp past Olinga’s Royal Excel Mouscron

Dieumerci Mbokani scored two goals as Royal Antwerp recorded a 3-2 win over Royal Excel Mouscron in Monday’s Belgian First Division A encounter.

The DR Congo international had gone on a run of five games without finding the net against Les Hurlus. However, this time he rediscovered his scoring form – which inspired his team to a notable away win.

Buoyed by their 1-1 away draw at Sporting Charleroi the last time out, Jorge Simao’s men faced the Great Old with the aspiration of picking up a win. However, they were silenced on home soil.

With just 22 minutes into the encounter, Mbokani put the visitors ahead with Aurelio Buta providing the assist. Left unmarked in the hosts’ goal area, the 35-year-old controlled a pass from the Portuguese midfielder before slotting past Burkina Faso international Herve Koffi.

Their lead was threatened after Maxime Le Marchand was given his marching orders with four minutes left into the half-time break. Following a dangerous tackle on Hamdi Harbaoui, referee Jan Boterberg had no option but to send him off.

Despite their numerical disadvantage, they doubled their advantage through Mbokani in the 48th minute. With Didier Ze dribbling his markers in the box, he teed up the African star who rolled the ball into an empty net.

Almost immediately, Fabrice Olinga pulled a goal back for the hosts after rifling the ball past goalkeeper Ortwin de Wolf thanks to a pass from compatriot Serge Tabekou.

Two minutes after the hour mark, Senegalese defender Abdoulaye Seck restored Antwerp’s two-goal advantage after heading home a cross from Lior Refaelov.

In the 88th minute, Tunisian forward Harbaoui got Excel Mouscron’s second of the evening by heading home a corner kick.

After an outstanding shift, Mbokani – who has scored nine league goals so far – was replaced by Cameroonian midfielder Frank Boya while Martin Hongla (Cameroon), Ze (Cameroon) and Seck (Senegal) were on parade from start to finish.

Elsewhere, Congo duo of Luete Ava Dongo and Nill De Pauw as well as Angola's Bruny Nsimba plus Ghana's Opoku Ampomah were not dressed for action.

Thanks to this away victory, Royal Antwerp are second in the Jupiler league log with 57 points from 33 games, while Royal Excel Mouscron languish in 17th position with just 31 points from the same number of matches.