Thierry Ambrose the hero for Kortrijk as extra-time hat-trick keeps Vincent Tan’s side in the Belgian Pro League | OneFootball

Kortrijk needed an heroic performance off the bench from striker Thierry Ambrose to keep themselves in the Pro League. The side, 1-0 up from the first leg of the relegation play-off, conceded early to Lommel at home on Sunday afternoon. Brazilian midfielder Diego Rosa struck in the third minute to make it 1-1. Neither side could break the deadlock and the game went to extra-time.

Freyr Alexandersson had introduced Ambrose after 75 minutes, with Dion De Neve coming on shortly after. Both combined in extra-time as Ambrose scored three times and De Neve grabbed two assists. Lucas Schoofs had grabbed one more for Lommel in an eventful period that saw the game finish 4-2 to Kortrijk and 5-2 on aggregate. Defender Joao Silva had also scored for Kortrijk during the extended period.

For Ambrose, it has been an incredibly frustrating season. The former Oostende man spent most of it injured but, when the side needed him to come through, he delivered. Kortrijk looked dead and buried when Alexandersson took over a few months ago but the Icelandic head coach has really turned things around. Fans will now hope that Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan will sell the club so they can build on their survival.

GBeNeFN | Ben Jackson