The Cup final opposed surprise finalists – given the strength of the 3 top teams in the league, it was interesting that none of them reached the final. Instead two neighbours near the bottom of the table met at the final: RFC Liege (12th) and Germinal Ekeren (13th). The upper team prevailed 2-1 and got the Cup.
Germinal Ekeren lost. Perhaps the tiny difference between them and RFC Liege was at play and it was only fair ending: Germinal ended 1 point behind RFC Liege in the championship and lost by 1 goal the Cup final. Small difference, but still a difference.
RFC Liege won the Cup and this season suddenly became their best ever: although not memorable in the championship, they had a good UEFA Cup run, combined with winning the Belgian Cup – their first and only trophy. Perhaps against one of the leading Belgian clubs RFC Liege had no chance, but they were lucky to met similar to themselves team and prevailed. The winners were modest team – their only well known player was the former Anderlecht and Belgian national team goalkeeper Jacky Munaron, now 34 years old. The midfielder Danny Boffin (25 years) was the only player called to the current national team of Belgium (and because of that very likely to be snatched by one of the big clubs in short time). The foreign talent was not first either – an Yugoslav duo Zvonko Varga and Nebojsa Malbasa, both 31 years old, who were second-rate (if not third-rate) players back at home. Not bad, but not great either. Perhaps the key for RFC Liege’s success was their coach – Robert Waseige, a well-known name for years, vastly experienced and with well deserved reputation. Getting old for sure – already 61 years old – but still better coach than the one at the helm of Germinal Ekeren. He extracted more from the modest squad at his hands than expected and the Cup formats were suitable for that ‘more’. Thus Belgium had new name added to the list of Cup winners and RFC Liege finally got a trophy. What a sweet victory it was: modest RFC Liege got a trophy when both mighty Anderlecht and their own big rival at home, Standard, finished this season with empty hands.
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