Sunday marks the final match of the outward round. The current report puts us in eighth place with 18 points collected. Just like that, this is 7 points more compared to last season, after exactly 14 playing days. This means we are the best ‘riser’ in the league. An extra three points against Kortrijk would give us a connection to the top six.

KVC Westerlo

Our coach Timmy Simons did not want to use it as an excuse, but the preparation for the game against Charleroi did not go in the best conditions. On Thursday and Friday, the flu virus had crept into our basecamp and went around like wildfire. Three pledges were even added to the core at the last minute, in case any new sicknesses fell on seclusion.

Meanwhile, everyone is healthy as a fiddle again, there is not even a single player to be spotted having to train separately.

King Winter prevailed on the training fields this week, Sunday they are predicting warmer temperatures to play in.

Four players have to watch out for a yellow cardboard: brand-new international and captain Dogucan Haspolat, top marksman and best assistant Allayhar Sayyadmanesh, deep striker and also maker of 6 goals (5 in league and 1 in the cup) Matija Frigan and winger Josimar Alcocer are all booked with 4 behind their names. Remarkable anyway that 3 of them have an attacking position in the team.

Home matches against Kortrijk usually go in our Kemphians’ favour. Of the previous 15 editions, 8 were won, 5 were drawn and 2 were lost.

KV Kortrijk

Like us, the Guys from the VeeKaa have a better record vs 2023. Icelandic coach Freyr Alexandersson was appointed at the start of this year and he piloted the West Flemish from last place in the standings to eventual retention after 30 playing days and the accompanying play-offs.

It is mainly in the home games that they take points (10), as on away they won only once out of the 7 games played (in August at Cercle Brugge) and achieved a draw once (in September against OHL).

Normally, their starting line-up consists of 5 (former) internationals: goalkeeper Gunnarsson, who is now in the sack though and replaced by Tom Vandenberghe, Japanese central defender Haruya Fuji, central midfielders Nayel Mehssatou (Chile) and Abdelkahar Kadri (Algeria) and deep striker Thierry Ambrose (Guadeloupe).

Further in defence, the back positions feature two Belgian compatriots: ex-Kemphaan Gilles Dewaele and Dion De Neve.

The Japanese 金子 拓郎, better known to us as Takuro Kaneko is on the right in the centre/attack and top marksman Nacho Ferri is a Spanish young striker on loan from Eintracht Frankfurt.

Wim Smet

The 42-year-old Antwerp native Wim Smet has been refereeing on the professional circuit for 14 years. In fact, his debut match was a match at Kortrijk’s Guldensporen stadium.

His first match at the Kuipje was a few weeks after his debut, when he came to referee the match against Lokeren (2-0). Afterwards, 9 more matches followed on Kempen soil, with 5 wins, 1 draw and 3 defeats.

Text and statistics: Peter Boons