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The RAAL La Louvière returns to the elite with an unexpected victory

La Louvière - The RAAL La Louvière football club celebrates a historic victory this Friday evening: the club, led by Frédéric Taquin, was promoted to the Pro League after ripping a spectacular home victory against Lommel (1-2) in the additional time. This totally unexpected rise marks the return of the club to the Belgian first division after 19 years of absence.

Maxime Pau, 24, was the great actor of this victory. The midfielder, transferred to the RAAL La Louvière in January 2023 after wearing the LOSC jersey (2006-2021) and more recently the AS Saint-Priest, contributed significantly to the performance of his team.

Pau, born in 2000, accumulated two seasons in Belgium, competing 65 games and scoring 17 goals. This promotion is the result of constant progress and hard work. During the season, he was a key element of the rotation, making 22 appearances (899 minutes) for 4 goals and 3 assists.

The match against Lommel, which allowed RAAL La Louvière to go up, was made even more special by the counter-performances of its rivals. RWD Molenbeek, who was in the lead in the second division, was defeated by Zulte Waregem.

“We didn’t have the plan to go up at all. We wanted to live a quiet season. And as the games went on, we realized that we were able to compete with the best, that we were able to make shows,” declared Frédéric Taquin, coach of RAAL La Louvière, after the match. “Morally, I think we’re Division champions. That’s deserved. We fought like wolves throughout the season. We went to get the climb with the guts. It’s just an exceptional evening.”

The return of the RAAL La Louvière to the Pro League is a blast for the club and a source of pride for its fans. This rise represents the reward of ambition and collective work.