Belgian Pro League Review: Matchweek 4

Yahoo

3 days ago

Four weeks already gone in the Belgian Pro League and four teams remain unbeaten to start the campaign. One of these is certainly a surprise after four games, while the league leaders are a familiar name nowadays. Here is our review of all the action from the top flight of Belgian football.
Friday fun for Zakaria El Ouahdi
Genk's Moroccan right-back continued to impress as the side beat OH Leuven 2-1 to grab their first three points of the campaign. Zakaria El Ouahdi scored a brace as Genk took control of the game midway through the first half. However, a mistake from goalkeeper Tobias Lawal gave Roggerio Nyakossi a chance to pull one back. The Swiss defender finished well, but the same cannot be said of the rest of his teammates. David Hubert's side took 22 shots, with only seven on target and only one going into the back of the net. Their poor start to the campaign continues, and their lack of a goal scorer upfront remains evident.
Saturday's games: South African magic and Ecuadorian buses
It took a wonderful goal in added time for Club Brugge to overcome newly promoted Zulte Waregem. Nicky Hayen must have been wondering if the side were ever going to score, despite dominating the ball and chances. Young South African Shandre Campbell was introduced with a few minutes to go and struck late to win it for Club Brugge and announce his arrival in the Belgian Pro League.
Gent will be wondering how they only managed to draw away to KV Mechelen. Bilal Bafdili had given the hosts the lead, only for Omri Gandelman to equalise just after the hour mark. An injury in the warm-up to Mechelen goalkeeper Ortwin De Wolf saw Nacho Miras thrown into the action instead. The goalkeeper was in fine form, making 10 saves to earn his side a point.
Kevin Rodriguez scored his first goal for a year last weekend, and the Ecuadorian forward followed that up with another great performance. Like London buses, the goals are starting to flow for the 25-year-old who grabbed a brace. Thomas Henry's red card for Standard Liege certainly didn't help things, but the side gifted a goal to Promise David late on to give the league leaders a comfortable 3-0 win. Adem Zorgane was exceptional in central midfield for Union St Gilloise.
Sunday's matches: Cercle finally score, Sint Truiden keep up their fine start
Anderlecht headed into a tough clash with AEK Athens off the back of a 2-0 victory over Dender. Goals from Cesar Huerta and Thorgan Hazard were enough for three points. A special mention once again for Nilson Angulo, whose two assists capped off another fine display. The Ecuadorian has started the season in fine form.
On loan Anderlecht striker Keisuke Goto grabbed his first goal for Sint Truiden as the side beat RAAL 2-1. Goto's goal came late on, with Robert-Jan Vanwesemael having given the side a 1-0 lead in the first half. Oucasse Mendy had equalised for the newly promoted side in the second half, but Goto came off the bench to keep Sint Truiden level at the top with Union.
Charleroi are still searching for their first win of the season after a 1-1 draw with Antwerp. Their opponents remain undefeated and took the lead through teenager Farouck Adekami, making it two goals in two games for the Ivorian youngster. Another Ivorian, Parfait Guiagon, grabbed his first goal of the season to equalise for the Zebras and grab a point.
Cercle Brugge went into their clash with Westerlo having not scored a goal yet this season. By half-time, they were 3-0 up. Pieter Gerkens, Alan Minda and Steve Ngoura all struck to all but end the game. Josimar Alcocer did pull one back, but on loan Burnley man Oluwaseun Adewumi came off the bench to grab a debut goal for Cercle and earn the side a 4-1 victory.
Table
Top scorers
Images courtesy of FotMob
GBeNeFN | Ben Jackson