Brussels (AFP) – Scandal-hit Mechelen won the Belgian Cup on Wednesday after coming from behind to beat Gent 2-1 in Brussels, completing a triumphant season following their promotion back into the country’s top flight.
Jean-Luc Dompe gave first division outfit Gent the lead after 32 minutes, only for Nikola Storm to reply six minutes later, before defender German Mera hit the winner for Mechelen just after the hour mark.
Mechelen were implicated in an investigation into suspicions of fraud related to the payment of salaries, commissions to agents and the suspected rigging of two games in March 2018 in a failed effort to save the club from relegation to the second division.
They are the first team playing outside the top division to lift the trophy since 1956 after securing a quick return to the top division in March’s promotion play-off with a 2-1 aggregate win over Beerschot Wilrijk.
Gent are struggling in the championship round of the Belgian league without a win in six games.
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