Union – KVC Westerlo

On Tuesday, I was personally asked how long it had been since we were leading 4-0 after half an hour of play? Has this even ever happened on Belgian fields before was my answer? In any case: what a performance! The Cercle Brugge players even stood together for a moment to reflect after the third goal. That was followed by that great steal and ditto goal from Romeo Vermant. A dry 4-0 thus and then, partly due to external factors, the match was whistled into the deeper half.

KVC Westerlo

We noted a deserved red card for Tuur Rommens, who was well in the match with his 2 assists, although he did not intend to hurt his opponent and it was just a duel in which he came just too late. We cannot say the same for the yellow card that Nazinho, Cercle’s left-back, received from referee Put. How Bryan Reynolds played out the match is a big question mark for everyone and indicates yet again what an incapacity Bryan does have. Because of that open flesh wound, he has been unable to tolerate a shoe around his foot for 2 days and has been walking around with his sleffers all the time.

Roman Neustädter stayed in the dressing room at half-time, feeling a bit sick and suffering from dizziness. Mathias Fixelles came in to replace him and so Arthur Piedfort was moved back a row. The strong Griffin Yow was exuberantly teased by his teammates after the match. “Hey Grif, easy when you make 2 ticks”. Hilarity all around of course, and Griffin knowing one more Dutch word.

In the dressing room, Lukas Van Eenoo was allowed to deploy “we are from the Kempen” for the last time and the focus was already immediately turned to the next match.

Once again, the coach of our opponent was full of praise for our team. Muslic took the blame upon himself, acknowledging that his game plan was flawed, but emphasized the strength of the Kemphanen. Among these Kemphanen, three players, Bolat, Sydorchuk, and Jordanov, are on the verge of suspension in the upcoming match. They risk a one-match suspension if they receive another yellow card.

OH Leuven

The Leuveners achieved a fine result against KRC Genk last Wednesday. A win in the final seconds after they managed to correct a 0-1 deficit in the last 10 minutes of the match. On the final day of the winter mercato, they were able to add two more acquisitions to the squad list. Argentine Franco Russo joined the defence, having already had Spanish clubs such as Ponferradina and Mallorca and Bulgarian club Ludogorets on his CV.

Takahiro Akimoto is also a new face since the new year, being rented for six months from Urawa Red Diamonds, the club where Yusuke Matsuo, who is familiar to us, has once again gone. The Japanese might be dropped into the squad, after the Icelander Thorsteinsson received his fifth yellow card against Genk and thus has to stay on the sidelines for one match.

Captain Siebe Schrijvers let it be known in the press that they have now received a confidence boost after the recent 8/12 (wins against Eupen and Genk, a draw against Anderlecht and Kortrijk), that they played with belief and that they knew Genk were catchable. For them, an important four-team series is also coming up where the task is simple: take points against Westerlo, Standard and RWDM (all 3 away) and a home game against Charleroi.

Spaniard Oscar Garcia has been OHL’s coach since early November, his CV also looks rather impressive with clubs like Barcelona U19, Brighton, Watford, Salzburg, Saint-Etienne, Olympiakos, Celta de Vigo and Stade Reims. With Leuven, he is currently scoring 1 point per game, after 12 games played.

Jan Boterberg