The 2004–05 season of the Belgian First Division began on August 6, 2004 and ended on May 23, 2005. Club Brugge became champions on May 15, 2005 after a decisive game against long-time rivals Anderlecht. The season was full of suspense as the champions and the relegated teams were only known on the 33rd (on 34) matchday. Furthermore, the 3rd place (qualifying for UEFA Cup) had to be decided on a test-match, a fact that had not occurred recently.
As usual, the two giants (Sporting Anderlecht and Club Brugge) were occupying the first two places after 5 matches. Brugge was already 1st and actually stayed on top until the end. The Brussels side has indeed failed to show consistency under the management of Hugo Broos who was fired after a 0-0 draw at Gent. Under new coach (Franky Vercauteren), Anderlecht had a run of good form (after the initial 0-1 defeat against Oostende). Linked to the poor results of rivals Brugge, this situation led to a 6-point difference between the two clubs after 32 matches. The Brugge-Anderlecht game (33rd matchday) was thus decisive for both clubs. It ended with a 2-2 draw that was sufficient for the West Flemish.
Brugge title is due to its exceptional regularity against smaller teams as is shown on the following table (showing points gained by a top 4 team against the other top 4 teams) :
1. Anderlecht 6 13
2. Standard 6 8
3. Brugge 6 6
4. Genk 6 5
Battle for Europeedit
As Anderlecht and Brugge rapidly ran away with the first two places, the battle for Europe was mainly consisted in the battle for UEFA Cup spots (or battle for the third place). Four teams were serious candidates: Standard, Genk, Charleroi and Gent. The latter two were soon dismissed. Before the last matchday, Standard was two points ahead of Genk but they lost their advantage after a 1-1 draw at Ostend while Genk earned a 3-1 win at Cercle Brugge. As both teams now had the same number of points and wins, a test-match had to be played (in two legs). Standard won the first match 3-1 but lost the away match 0-3 and lost the European ticket for next season.
The relegation dog fightedit
After their poor early results, five teams were predicted to fight against relegation: Sint-Truiden, Mouscron and especially newcomers FC Brussels and Oostende along with Mons. Beveren joined the list after a very poor final run. Before the 33rd matchday, the table read:
12. Lierse 32 35
13. Sint-Truiden 32 33
14. Beveren 32 31
15. Mouscron 32 30
16. Brussels 32 30
17. Mons 32 26
18. Oostende 32 26
Lierse and Sint-Truiden were already saved. Mons and Oostende had to win or draw to maintain suspense but they finally both lost (2-0 respectively against Mouscron and at La Louvière).
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The 2004 05 season of the Belgian First Division began on August 6 2004 and ended on May 23 2005 Club Brugge became champions on May 15 2005 after a decisive game against long time rivals Anderlecht The season was full of suspense as the champions and the relegated teams were only known on the 33rd on 34 matchday Furthermore the 3rd place qualifying for UEFA Cup had to be decided on a test match a fact that had not occurred recently Belgian First DivisionSeason2004 05ChampionsClub BruggeRelegatedOostendeMonsChampions LeagueClub BruggeAnderlechtUEFA CupGenkGerminal BeerschotMatches played306Goals scored845 2 76 per match Top goalscorerNenad Jestrovic 18 goals 2003 042005 06 Contents 1 Promoted teams 2 Relegated teams 3 Battle for the 1st place 4 Battle for Europe 5 The relegation dog fight 6 Final league table 7 Results 8 Top goal scorers 9 See also 10 ReferencesPromoted teams edit nbsp nbsp Anderlecht nbsp Beveren nbsp Brussels nbsp Germinal Beerschot nbsp Club BruggeCercle Brugge nbsp Charleroi nbsp Sint Truiden nbsp Genk nbsp Gent nbsp Standard nbsp Lierse nbsp Lokeren nbsp La Louviere nbsp Mouscron nbsp Mons nbsp Oostende nbsp Westerloclass notpageimage Location of teams in Belgian First Division 2004 05 These teams were promoted from the second division at the start of the season FC Brussels second division champion Oostende playoff winner Relegated teams editThese teams were relegated to the second division at the end of the season Oostende MonsBattle for the 1st place editAs usual the two giants Sporting Anderlecht and Club Brugge were occupying the first two places after 5 matches Brugge was already 1st and actually stayed on top until the end The Brussels side has indeed failed to show consistency under the management of Hugo Broos who was fired after a 0 0 draw at Gent Under new coach Franky Vercauteren Anderlecht had a run of good form after the initial 0 1 defeat against Oostende Linked to the poor results of rivals Brugge this situation led to a 6 point difference between the two clubs after 32 matches The Brugge Anderlecht game 33rd matchday was thus decisive for both clubs It ended with a 2 2 draw that was sufficient for the West Flemish Brugge title is due to its exceptional regularity against smaller teams as is shown on the following table showing points gained by a top 4 team against the other top 4 teams 1 Anderlecht 6 13 2 Standard 6 8 3 Brugge 6 6 4 Genk 6 5Battle for Europe editAs Anderlecht and Brugge rapidly ran away with the first two places the battle for Europe was mainly consisted in the battle for UEFA Cup spots or battle for the third place Four teams were serious candidates Standard Genk Charleroi and Gent The latter two were soon dismissed Before the last matchday Standard was two points ahead of Genk but they lost their advantage after a 1 1 draw at Ostend while Genk earned a 3 1 win at Cercle Brugge As both teams now had the same number of points and wins a test match had to be played in two legs Standard won the first match 3 1 but lost the away match 0 3 and lost the European ticket for next season The relegation dog fight editAfter their poor early results five teams were predicted to fight against relegation Sint Truiden Mouscron and especially newcomers FC Brussels and Oostende along with Mons Beveren joined the list after a very poor final run Before the 33rd matchday the table read 12 Lierse 32 35 13 Sint Truiden 32 33 14 Beveren 32 31 15 Mouscron 32 30 16 Brussels 32 30 17 Mons 32 26 18 Oostende 32 26 Lierse and Sint Truiden were already saved Mons and Oostende had to win or draw to maintain suspense but they finally both lost 2 0 respectively against Mouscron and at La Louviere Final league table editPos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation 1 Club Brugge C 34 24 7 3 83 25 58 79 Qualification to Champions League third qualifying round 2 Anderlecht 34 23 7 4 75 34 41 76 Qualification to Champions League second qualifying round 3 Genk 34 21 7 6 59 37 22 70 Qualification to UEFA Cup second qualifying round 4 Standard Liege 34 21 7 6 64 30 34 70 5 Charleroi 34 19 7 8 47 34 13 64 Qualification to Intertoto Cup second round 6 Gent 34 18 5 11 46 36 10 59 Qualification to Intertoto Cup first round 7 La Louviere 34 12 8 14 43 43 0 44 8 Sporting Lokeren 34 11 11 12 36 38 2 44 Qualification to Intertoto Cup first round 9 Germinal Beerschot 34 12 6 16 36 45 9 42 Qualification to UEFA Cup first round 10 Lierse 34 12 5 17 57 60 3 41 11 Cercle Brugge 34 12 5 17 45 74 29 41 12 Westerlo 34 11 6 17 34 54 20 39 13 Mouscron 34 10 6 18 40 43 3 36 14 Sint Truiden 34 10 6 18 40 58 18 36 15 Molenbeek Brussels Strombeek 34 10 3 21 32 60 28 33 16 Beveren 34 8 8 18 43 59 16 32 17 Oostende R 34 6 9 19 31 62 31 27 Relegation to 2005 06 Belgian Second Division 18 Mons R 34 7 5 22 39 58 19 26Source citation needed C Champions R RelegatedResults editHome Away AND GBA BEV CER CLU CHA GNK GNT LIE LOK LOU BRU MON MOU OST STV STA WES Anderlecht 3 0 5 2 5 2 2 1 3 0 4 2 2 0 5 1 2 0 2 1 3 0 2 1 2 0 0 1 2 1 3 2 4 0 Germinal Beerschot 0 1 3 1 2 3 0 1 0 1 3 1 0 0 2 2 1 2 1 1 2 0 2 0 3 1 4 0 3 1 1 0 1 0 Beveren 0 1 1 0 5 1 1 1 1 2 0 2 1 2 2 1 0 2 0 2 0 1 0 4 2 2 2 2 3 1 2 3 4 1 Cercle Brugge 1 3 2 1 1 1 1 2 0 4 1 3 2 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 2 2 0 1 0 2 0 5 1 1 3 0 0 Club Brugge 2 2 6 0 3 1 5 0 1 1 1 1 5 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 4 1 3 1 3 0 7 3 5 1 1 1 2 0 Charleroi 2 1 1 0 2 1 5 1 0 1 2 0 3 2 1 0 2 1 2 5 1 2 1 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Genk 2 4 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2 0 1 1 3 0 2 1 1 0 3 1 2 2 0 0 2 2 1 0 1 1 3 2 Gent 0 0 5 0 1 0 1 2 0 1 3 1 0 1 1 0 3 1 2 1 3 0 2 1 1 0 2 1 2 1 1 1 1 0 Lierse 1 1 2 0 1 3 2 0 0 2 1 1 1 5 3 2 2 0 7 0 5 1 4 1 0 1 3 1 0 1 1 1 3 0 Lokeren 2 2 0 1 1 1 4 0 0 2 1 1 1 3 0 1 0 2 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 4 3 0 0 3 1 La Louviere 1 1 1 1 3 0 2 1 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 1 3 2 0 0 1 0 4 0 3 1 2 0 1 0 0 1 1 2 Brussels 0 1 2 1 1 3 2 1 1 6 1 2 0 1 1 1 3 2 1 2 1 1 2 1 2 1 2 2 0 1 0 1 0 1 Mons 1 2 0 1 2 2 1 3 0 0 0 1 1 2 1 0 4 1 0 1 4 1 1 2 0 2 2 0 4 1 2 3 3 2 Mouscron 2 0 0 1 1 0 6 0 0 1 0 1 1 2 0 2 1 3 1 1 1 1 2 0 5 1 1 1 4 0 0 3 3 0 Oostende 1 3 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 2 1 2 1 3 1 2 2 3 0 2 2 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 3 3 Sint Truiden 2 2 1 1 0 1 0 1 3 2 2 2 0 2 0 2 4 0 2 0 2 1 2 0 0 0 3 2 0 0 4 1 1 0 Standard Liege 1 0 3 0 3 0 4 0 1 4 1 2 1 0 3 0 4 1 1 0 1 0 1 3 2 0 2 0 5 0 4 1 2 0 Westerlo 2 2 1 0 1 1 1 2 1 3 2 1 0 0 2 1 2 1 1 1 0 2 1 0 2 1 0 1 2 0 2 1 1 3 Source citation needed Legend Blue home team win Yellow draw Red away team win Top goal scorers editScorer Goals Team nbsp Nenad Jestrovic 18 Anderlecht nbsp Kevin Vandenbergh 17 Genk nbsp Sambegou Bangoura 15 Standard Liege nbsp Rune Lange 15 Club Brugge nbsp Mohammed Aliyu Datti 14 Mons nbsp Aruna Dindane 14 Anderlecht nbsp Moussa Sanogo 14 Beveren nbsp Archie Thompson 14 Lierse nbsp Marcin Zewlakow 14 MouscronSee also edit2004 05 in Belgian footballReferences edit in French Sport be website Archive Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 2004 05 Belgian First Division amp oldid 1176454223, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
