Top scorer in playoffs Onyedika escapes red but suspended for Club Brugge's next league game

Franky Van der Elst believes Super Eagles midfielder Frank Onyedika should have been sent off during Club Brugge's 3-0 win over Royal Antwerp in the Jupiler Pro League Championship playoffs on Sunday.

The 22-year-old opened the scoring in the 44th minute, firing the rebound into the bottom right corner to score his third goal of the playoffs.

Onyedika is now the top scorer in the playoffs alone with three goals to his name, one more than Genk's Tolu Arokodare and Cercle Brugge's Togo international Kévin Denkey.

A goal apiece from Michal Skoras and Philip Zinckernagel in the second half sealed the victory for the 18-time Belgian champions.

One of the talking points from the game was Onyedika's tackle on Royal Antwerp midfielder Jurgen Ekkelenkamp which earned the latter a yellow card.

Speaking during commentary duties on Eleven Sports/DAZN but relayed by voetbalnieuws , Van der Elst disagreed with the referee's decision to hand the Nigeria international a yellow card and felt the VAR should have intervened.

"The VAR has to look at this. Onyedika came in very strongly and was too late anyway, the fact that he slips away does play to his advantage."

The yellow card means he will miss Club Brugge next game against Union Saint-Gilloise at the Stade Joseph but would be available for their UEFA Europa Conference League tie against William Troost-Ekong's PAOK on Thursday

Abdulkareem Abdulhamid

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