Belgian Pro League Review: Matchweek 1 | OneFootball

The 123rd season of the Belgian Pro League got underway this weekend, with eight fixtures setting a high standard for the campaign.

Kicking off with Friday night’s enthralling clash between Royal Antwerp and reigning champions Union Saint-Gilloise, the league’s opening matchweek provided 24 goals, one red card, and some truly dramatic results as the formative table took its early form. Read on as we look back on the action as 2025-26 burst into life.

Friday’s Opener: Royal Antwerp 1-1 Union Saint-Gilloise

Despite having one less tribune thanks to redevelopment, Antwerp’s Bosuilstadion was bouncing on Friday night as RAFC welcomed the defending champions USG. This game steadily developed into a frenetic pace, and ultimately saw both sides work up a total of 25 fouls between them. This gritty nature was especially prevalent in the first period, when the game’s major flashpoint arose.

A Union corner saw Promise David head on target, only for Vincent Janssen to block on the line with his hand. After a brief delay, VAR gave a penalty to the visitors. Somehow, Janssen escaped with a yellow card. David stepped up and drove low at Senne Lammens’ bottom-right corner, but the high-potential keeper added to his increasing repertoire to tip away brilliantly.

Of course, to Union’s frustration, it was Janssen who struck the go-ahead goal for Antwerp. The Dutchman got off the mark for the season by bending a great effort through a crumbling wall into the bottom right corner.

The second half saw Antwerp continue to marshal Promise David excellently, leading to his withdrawal just before the hour. That said, their inability to stop two alternative USG talents proved decisive for the game’s leveller in the 68th minute. Ousseynou Niang burst away on a devastating counter, before sliding in Raul Florucz on the right. Darting into the box, the Austrian slid a fine effort past Lammens into the bottom right to restore parity.

Saturday: Zulte Waregem draw with Mechelen, Standard bring RAAL down to earth

After a goalless stalemate between Dender and Cercle Brugge, Saturday’s action continued with Friday’s ferocity, as Zulte Waregem rescued a precious point against Mechelen right at the death. Mechelen initially took the lead in the 16th minute, as Lion Lauberbach continued where he left off last season (eight goals in 35 games).

This was one of few successful moves, mind, as the newly-promoted hosts spent the majority of the game on top. They peppered their visitors’ final third with a total of 21 shots to garner a 2.34 xG. Mechelen clung on, but ultimately succumbed to the pressure with a late penalty – of which resident veteran Jelle Vossen converted coolly in the 100th minute.

While Essevee were able to salvage something on their Belgian Pro League return, RAAL La Louvière were less fortunate. The misfiring hosts couldn’t mark their 20-year absence in the first tier with a win, and were immediately downed by a fifth-minute strike from Thomas Henry before Marco Ilaimaharitra added a decisive sucker-punch from the spot just before the first half was out.

Anderlecht put on a Sunday showcase with Westerlo drubbing, Club Brugge bounce back, and Charleroi and STVV leave it VERY late

Anderlecht began their campaign, and Sunday’s action, with a huge 5-2 victory against Westerlo. Exciting prospect Nathan De Cat won the ball high and then slid in Thorgan Hazard smartly for the opener 19 minutes in. The hosts doubled their lead with another young star shining brightly on 37′. After being played in by Nilson Angulo from the left, Tristan Degreef lobbed Andreas Jungdal with aplomb.

The second half opened with Kyan Vaesen notching one back, before Matija Frigan made it a relatively quick one-two as he made it 2-2 12 minutes later. Just as Westerlo looked to get the wind in their sails, Anderlecht deflated their hopes with a moment of magic from Angulo in the 65th minute. Jinking back from the left flank, the Ecuadorian curled a beautiful effort high into the top-right corner.

Five minutes later, Nathan Saliba latched onto a fine Ludwig Augustinsson delivery to nod in from close range, before Hazard powered home his brace in the 92nd minute after Mario Stroeykens was blocked.

OH Leuven began very brightly against Charleroi, and initially looked to dispel any inclination that Les Zèbres’ last season form may carry over into 2025-26. Mathieu Maertens opened the scoring three minutes in, before a late Youssef Maziz drive from the left on 79′ looked to have Charleroi beaten. However, a closing resurgence saw Antoine Bernier and then Vetle Dragsnes break OHL hearts in the final stages of added time.

Sandwiched between more late drama, Club Brugge prevailed 2-1 against Genk after initially going one down inside the first 10 minutes thanks to a dagger from Hyun-Gyu Oh. A strong, and somewhat eventful, second half saw the hosts bounce back after a scrambling close-range effort from Joel Ordonez just after the hour.

Fellow centre-back Brandon Mechele notched the winner with a sweeping shot in the 81st minute, before Ordonez stole the limelight once more, although this time for the wrong reasons. He was dismissed for comically hauling down Tolu Arokodare as the last man.

The final game of the matchweek drew the weekend to a close in suitably frenetic style, as St. Truiden and Gent cooked up a storm at the Daio Wasabi Stayen Stadium. This later kick-off ultimately culminated in a dramatic final 15 minutes. First, STVV took the lead through a Leonardo Lopes own goal on 77′. Then, Wilfried Kanga drew Gent level from the spot six minutes later.

With a 1-1 seemingly on the cards, De Kanaries went into overdrive in the latter exchanges. Adriano Bertaccini looped home a deflected long shot in the 88th minute, before Ryotaro Ito sealed the two-goal deficit with a smart finish into the bottom-left corner.

League table after Matchweek 1

Top goalscorers after Matchweek 1

GBeNeFN | Max Bradfield