Two on 24 and again walking away with many compliments. Especially in the first 15 minutes, we created some chances against leader Genk, who did take the lead at the first chance. Our Kemphans then lost all grip and with the help of lady Fortuna, Tolu was able to double the score.

Sakamoto’s connecting goal set the Kuipje on fire, but the final offensive ultimately yielded nothing more.

KVC Westerlo
During the pre-match interview, we were confronted with the fact that in the first three games we picked up nine out of nine, in the next 18 games we barely won three times.Our last win now dates back to 24 November. We haven’t had the easiest programme since then though: 5 games against PO1 teams, and 3 against direct rivals, where of course we should have grabbed more than that 1 in 9.The next 5 games are all against teams of ‘the same’ level, i.e. all or nothing.

We start in Kortrijk. Just like last season, a six-point game. Then we won 1-2, and this was the start of a run of 14 out of 21 with only one defeat against Club Brugge.

With 7 games left to play, every Kemphaan is signing for the same scernario.

This week saw two more outgoing transfers: Gumuskaya went back to Turkey, to finish the season with Gaziantepspor and Dire Mebude will compete with tradition club Hamburger SV for the title in Germany’s second Bundesliga.

Bryan Reynolds, after his yellow suspension, is back in action against his former team so coach Timmy Simons has the choice to select from the entire core of players – except for the rehabilitating Rubin Seigers.

KV Kortrijk
Yves Vanderhaeghe was introduced just before Christmas as the new coach – for the third time in his career – of Kortrijk. In those 5 games he has been at the helm this time, 3 were lost Anderlecht, Standard and Charleroi and he pulled off 2 draws: against Beerschot and last week at Club Brugge.

This may have been a serious boost for the Guys, who have mounted a winter offensive with no fewer than 9 new arrivals and 7 outgoing transfers with an emphasis on the axis of the pitch.

In goal, Marko Ilic could again be convinced to head down to West Flanders. He left the Guldensporen Stadium in July 2023, having since played for 3 teams: Colorado in the US, Sarpsborg in Norway and Red Star in Serbia.

Three new central defenders: Haitian Jean-Kévin Duverne of FC Nantes, the Cameroonian James Ndjeungoue of Slovakian Zilina and the Japanese Ryotaro Tsunoda of Cardiff City who has also previously featured at Kortrijk.

Also 3 new faces as defensive midfielders: Marco Ilaimaharitra, the former Charleroi captain who did not get a new contract after 231 for the Carolois and was without a club since this summer, Togolese Dermane Karim who played in Feyenoord’s youth and was on Lommel’s payroll both this and last season and finally Mouhamed Guèye, a Senegalese who came out for Rapid Wien’s second team.

Koen Kostons and Karol Czubak are the new names for the striker position. The former is and Dutchman who played for German club Paderborn (32 games – 7 goals) and Czubak is a Pole who played in the Polish second division with Arka Gdynia.

The 3 new midfielders already competed in Brugge last week, joined by Belgians Pirard, Dewaele, Lagae, Dejaegere and Mehssatou, Frenchman Sissako, Algerian Kadri and Spanish striker Nacho Ferri.

Referee
Lawrence Visser was again appointed. Three weeks ago, we had him as a guest at the Kuipje against STVV (1-2).

In 2016, he was already allowed to whistle this encounter between the two clubs once, when it ended 1-1 after goals from Rolland and Fredje Gounongbe.

Text and statistics: Peter Boons