Latest news with #SintTruiden
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sint Truiden's Leo Kokubo's recent performances putting the spotlight on Japan's young goalkeeping talent
Last summer, Sint Truiden were once again looking for a new goalkeeper. Zion Suzuki, who had joined in 2023, was set to join Parma. Once again, the side turned to Japan to find a replacement. They settled on 24-year-old Leo Kokubo, a Japanese youth international who had been playing in Portugal for Benfica's second team. Despite the sides struggles this season, Kokubo has proved more than an adequate replacement for the excellent Suzuki. Kokubo and Suzuki are highlighting the excellent strength in depth that Japan have at the goalkeeping position. In the past few weeks Kokubo has helped the side win points with some fantastic reflex saves. It has been clear that, as the season has progressed, the goalkeeper has grown in confidence. It will certainly have helped having a strong Japanese core at the club, which has been standard for Sint Truiden since they got Japanese owners. None of those saves may have been as important as the one against Beerschot on Friday evening. With his side having taken a 1-0 lead, Beerschot were awarded a penalty. However, Kokubu was able to save it and in the end the side ran out 2-0 winners. ⛔️ | Leo Kokubo duikt de juiste kant uit en stopt de elfmeter van Beerschot! 🥅🧤 #STVBEE — DAZN België (@DAZN_BENL) March 7, 2025 This could be a huge moment in the season for the side. Dropping points against bottom of the table Beerschot would have all but guaranteed they would be playing in the relegation play-offs at the end of the regular season. Yet with these three points, the Canaries now have a chance of survival on the final day of regular competition. GBeNeFN | Ben Jackson
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Loïc Lapoussin worth every penny for Sint Truiden in their fight to avoid the drop
Having signed Loïc Lapoussin in January, Sint Truiden will feel like they have struck gold. The Madagascan winger has been in fantastic form since joining from Union St Gilloise and remarkably, he has only lost one of the 13 Pro League games he has played in this season. Nine of these games were with title chasing Union, while he has lost one of the four for Sint Truiden when they faced Dener. Since then, the side have gone three unbeaten with Lapoussin in the side, including a 2-2 draw with title chasing Club Brugge. Lapoussin scored his first goal for the club during that game. During the sides huge relegation battle against Kortrijk, it was the 28-year-old who made the difference. Lapoussin grabbed two assists, both worthy of any highlight reel, to give the side a 4-2 win over the side just below them. 🇲🇬 The inch perfecr cross from Lapouissin!🇧🇪 The exquisite first time finish from Vanwesemael!Goal of the season contender from Sint Truiden? — Get Belgian & Dutch Football News (@GBeNeFN) March 2, 2025 🤤 Trivela-assist van Loïc Lapoussin👌 Spitsengoal van Adriano BertacciniDe perfecte counter van @stvv! 🐥♨️ #STVKVK — DAZN België (@DAZN_BENL) March 3, 2025 During his time with Union, Lapoussin was a favourite of the Brussels crowd. His hard work on both ends endeared him to the home crowd and will likely be already happening for Sint Truiden. Felice Mazzu knows him well, and under the familiar head coach hopefully any off field issues will be ironed out. If Lapoussin continues to play at his usual level, Sint Truiden may well find themselves escaping the bottom four altogether. With games against Beerschot and OH Leuven to come, this is not an impossible task. That would give them 34 points, with the gap to safety at the moment just four points. Other sides around them have tougher schedules than the Canaries. If Sint Truiden stay out of the bottom four or avoid the relegation play-off, and Lapoussin plays a key role, we will likely have to crown this transfer as the best bit of business done by any Belgian side in January. GBeNeFN | Ben Jackson
