Against Genk – even though they were reduced by one man less just before half-time – a fine result was achieved. Our passionate Kemphans fought with full commitment to turn a two-goal deficit still into a positive result. Passion and fight will also be the keywords on Saturday to keep the three points in the Kuipje for the first time this season.

KVC Westerlo

In football jargon, we speak of a six-point game on Saturday. The stakes will be high and the belief is going to have to be there. Yes we can!  Not losing the past two very difficult away games, against teams from the G6, should give the necessary courage to believe in our own abilities. If the twelfth man supports our Kemphans en masse again, that first victory this season should become a reality.

The balance with the past home games against our West Flemish opponent tilts in Kempen’s favour. Only once did they lose: 14 years ago, the Kerels won 1-3 then. Four home games, four defeats: it happened to us twice before in the past. Then also in the months of September to November. In both 2016 and 2018, that fifth game was then concluded winningly, only to pick up again afterwards with a positive series of the Kuipje is ours!

The next few weeks herald themselves as crucial. Because apart from the game against Kortrijk, we will then play direct duels against our closest opponents RWDM, OHL and Charleroi, albeit all away from home.

KV Kortrijk

Glen De Boeck was introduced as the new head coach this week. Almost four years he was without a club, after his last passage at Lokeren.  As a matter of fact, it is his second time as head coach at Kortrijk. In the period from November 2017 to November 2018, he led the Kortrijkers 46 times before. It would be his most successful period in his coaching career so far with a points ratio of 1.7 per game.

KVK is looking for its first points away from home. On the opening day, they had to face Ghent (3-2) and then Antwerp (6-0), OHL (3-0) and Charleroi (1-0) followed. Last weekend they picked up their first win of the season. Cercle Brugge went down 2-1 at their own Guldensporenstadion, led by interim coach Joseph Akpala.

The 3-5-2 line-up comprised the following players: goalkeeper Tom Vandenberghe, defenders Mampassi, Joâo Silva and Radovanovic. Two defensive midfielders: Marco Kana and Abdoulaye Sissako, two flank players: Mehssatou and De Neve. Kadri played as a number 10 and the striker duo Davies and El Idrissy. Eight goals they already managed to score: De Neve, Kadri, Davies and Avenatti all did so twice.

Referee

• Nathan Verboomen
• 35 years old
• Fifa referee since 2019
• This season he previously whistled both teams once: Kortrijk vs Standard (1-1) and Cercle Brugge vs Westerlo (2-1)
• In the All Time Stats we have never won with him, we did manage 3 draws and 4 defeats
• Previous results at the Kuipje: Eupen (1-2), OHL (2-2), Charleroi (0-2) and Antwerp (3-3)

Text and statistics: Peter Boons