In each of his past three campaigns for Cercle Brugge, Thibo Somers has scored seven goals. His opening goal against Beerschot on Saturday afternoon saw him reach seven with a few games to spare, and with two in his last two games, Cercle fans will hope he can exceed those numbers this season. Somers is Cercle through and through, and as the sides captain, has stepped up in the past two weeks when the side have needed him most.
Since the departure of Togolese forward Kevin Denkey to the MLS, Cercle have struggled for goals. The clash with already relegated Beerschot on Saturday was a prime example of that. The side had 21 shots on goal, with nine on target and an xG of 3.23. Thanks to some poor finishing, and fine goalkeeping from Beerschot’s Davor Matijas, the side only scored twice. The second came with almost the last kick of the game to earn the side a 2-1 win. Anything other than a victory for Cercle would’ve been disastrous in their attempts to remain in the Pro League.
This is where having the likes of Somers in the side can make a difference. As a fan of the club and a player that has grown up there, he understands what it means to the fan base and can help inspire the rest of his teammates. Cercle have at least four more cup finals left before the end of the season, with a crucial two games against Sint Truiden to come. The results of these may well determine which side will be guaranteed of safety, while the other will be set to face the winner of the promotion play-offs in the Challenger Pro League.
