Two weeks ago in Kortrijk, it was about three years since we were able to turn a deficit into a three-peat. At the Kuip against Standard, we did it again.  The manner was impressive. Kudos to our Kemphans and breathe again now that we are out of the ‘danger zone’. Continuing on this momentum is the message.

KVC Westerlo

Timmy Simons posted the unspent duo Neustädter – Rommens at the back against Standard. Both were among the standouts afterwards. However, the start of the match was difficult. On the first counter-attack, the ball was already in Andreas Jungdal’s goal. Fortunately, Isa Sakamoto was able to counter quickly after a brilliant move by Griffin Yow. Seven minutes later, two players, with hamstring injuries, then had to leave the pitch: Jordan Bos and Alfie Devine. Other than pledge Zyon Vandekerkhove, there was no defender left on the bench and so winger Josimar Alcocer found himself in the left-back position.

The suspended players – Bayram, Lapage and Vuskovic – all return for the game against Cercle, but for Bos and Devine this match comes too soon.

Out against Cercle has never been an easy displacement for our Kemphians. In 19 previous encounters, we won three times and played six draws.

Cercle Brugge

Since the coach change – Austrian Miron Muslic was sacked on 2 December and replaced for two games by his T2 Jimmy Dewulf before Ferdinand Feldhofer was appointed T1 – the club played 10 games with its new coach, resulting in 4 wins (NK Olimpija, OH Leuven, Dender and KV Mechelen), 5 draws (Gent, Basaksehir, Sint-Truiden, Charleroi and Standard) and one defeat (last week against Genk).

Nice results anyway, although they will definitely want to win their next 2 games (Westerlo and Kortrijk) to stay out of the danger zone of the Play downs. Their last 3 games look just a little more difficult: Antwerp, Club Brugge and Anderlecht.

Top marksman Denkey left for the States in the winter break to play at Cincinnati, this season he was again good for 15 goals in 23 games. Since emptying his locker at the Jan Breydel Stadium, the greenies scored 7x in 7 games. Five different players produced these goals: captain Somers 2x, Olaigbe 2x – who has since also left for French Stade Rennes and Felipe Augusto, Diakité and Nazinho managed to find their way to goal once.

Did you remember this? 5 players were once transferred directly from Cercle towards the Kempen : Dieter Dekelver (2007), Oleg Iachtchouk (2013), Gilles Dewaele (2017), Stephen Buyl and Guillaume De Schryver (2018) .

And also one player made the reverse: Stef Wils (2012)

Referee

Nathan Verboomen will be our referee for the third time this season, having previously had him at Lotto Park (2-2) and Jan Breydel Stadium (Club 4-3). He also whistled this mutual encounter once in 2023, when it was 2-1

Text and statistics: Peter Boons