The Belgian Pro League season came to a rip-roaring conclusion this weekend as a trio of teams at the top of the table all managed to get one hand on the trophy during the dying minutes of the 2022-23 campaign.
The 34-game Pro League regular season came to an end last month with Racing Genk in first place, narrowly above Union St.-Gilloise on goal difference, who in turn were three points ahead of third-placed Antwerp.
- Stream replays of Belgian Pro League action on ESPN+
The trio were then joined in the title playoffs (which were first introduced for the 2009-10 season) by Club Brugge who finished the regular season in fourth, 13 points behind Antwerp in third and yet still with a chance to emerge as champions.
After five playoff games already (facing each other twice, both home and away), Sunday was the final day of action with Antwerp (46) and Union St.-Gilloise (46) level at the top of the mini-league, one point above Genk in third (45) and Brugge out of the running in fourth (33.)
In the end, Antwerp drew 2-2 with Genk to seal the 2022-23 Pro League title in stunning fashion, while Union lost 3-1 to Club Brugge.
But as the final matchday progressed, goals began to fly in and the two scorelines fluctuated, the destination of the title chopped and changed between three clubs within five minutes right at the end of the campaign.
Here's how things played out.
Antwerp claimed the Belgian Pro League in the final seconds. TOM GOYVAERTS/BELGA/AFP via Getty Images45 mins: Genk 1-0 Antwerp (Toluwalase Arokodare)
It took a while, but things were finally put in motion when Arokodare scored the first goal of the day, putting Genk ahead on the stroke of half-time and effectively sending them clear at the top of the table.
KRC Genk is the virtual #JPL champion at half-time!