Antwerp ended the season with a surprising choice in goal. Debutant Niels Devalckeneer stood under the crossbar against Westerlo, instead of regular starter Taishi Nozawa.

What happened?

The decision by Antwerp immediately sparked speculation. Nozawa was on the verge of earning a 50,000 euro bonus if he would keep his tenth clean sheet of the season against KVC Westerlo.

Antwerp did keep a clean sheet, but it was with Devalckeneer in goal. As a result, Nozawa missed out on the substantial bonus.

Why this choice?

According to interim coach Faris Haroun, the last match day was the perfect opportunity to give young talent a chance. The idea came from our goalkeeper coach, Brian Vandenbussche, who will be leaving the club this summer.

What's next?

Devalckeneer made the switch from Lierse SK to Antwerp in 2018 and has since grown into a regular goalkeeper for the Young Reds. He has worked intensively on his footwork under the guidance of Vandenbussche.

There is a lot of faith in Devalckeneer within Antwerp. His contract was already extended earlier this year until 2028, with an option for an additional season.

Nozawa's future

Much will depend on the future of Nozawa. The Japanese player grew into one of the absolute standout performers for Antwerp this season and kept his team afloat multiple times with strong performances.