Belgian Pro League Review: Matchweek 3 | OneFootball

Another week gone in the Belgian Pro League as the season feels well and truly up and running with each side having played three. Another week without a goalless draw, yet some sides are still searching for their first three points of the season. We dissect all the action from the week below.

Friday Fixture: Sint Truiden continue their unbeaten run, Ryotaro Ito continues to find the net

Friday saw Sint Truiden triumph over Dender to make it three games unbeaten to start the season. Ryotaro Ito grabbed his third goal in three games to open the season, already beating his goal tally from last season. Andres Ferrari had opened the scoring from the spot just before the half-hour mark, with Dender’s on loan defender Luc De Fougerolles getting sent off just after half-time.

Minutes later Ilias Sebaoui, who had won the earlier penalty, provided Ito with the assist for his third of the campaign and secured the three points for the Canaries. There was also a debut for on loan Anderlecht forward Keisuke Goto, who certainly looked lively during his brief spell at the end of the game.

Saturday’s Fixtures: Brugge is blue, Mechelen win again and Union keep up unbeaten start

Saturday opened with the Brugge derby, which ended predictably with a 2-0 win for Club. However, Cercle did have their chances, with 10 shots created during the match. However, only two were on target and none found the net. The sides scoring troubles continue as they remain the only side without a single goal scored this season. It took Club until the second half to take control, with goals from the reliable Hans Vanaken and Christos Tzolis within the space of five minutes enough to take all three points. Cercle are goalless and yet to win a game this season.

Mechelen followed up their surprising victory over Club with a late win over Westerlo. Frederik Vanderbiest was able to welcome back last seasons top scorer Benito Raman, who was thrown on just before the hour mark. Raman grabbed the only goal of the game to in the 84th minute to secure another victory for Mechelen. Westerlo will rue their lack of efficiency, having taken 18 shots, but ended with 0 goals, only two of the shots on target an an xG of 1.61.

The final Saturday fixture became a goalfest by the end. Union were 3-0 up against Gent after 80 minutes and looked set for another three points. However, goals from Hyllarion Goore and Maksim Paskotsi made the game look closer than it should have been by the end. Gent did manage to get 20 shots off at Vic Chambaere’s goal, but couldn’t put enough past the young keeper. Union are unbeaten, while Gent have won one of their two opening games.

Sunday’s Fixtures: RAAL off the mark, Zulte Waregem shock Anderlecht and pressure on Thorsten Fink already

Sunday started with newly promoted RAAL winning their first game of the season. The side have looked out of their depth so far, but managed to rally in the derby with Charleroi to win 1-0. An own goal from the Zebra’s Etienne Camara after 15 minutes was enough for the side to claim all three points. Goalkeeper Marcos Peano was in fantastic form as he made four saves to deny Charleroi an equaliser. The Zebras have had a poor start the season domestically and in Europe, having already been knocked out of the Conference League qualification rounds.

Besnik Hasi relieved some pressure with a victory in Europe in midweek, but the defeat to Zulte Waregem on Sunday will have done him little good at all. The side went behind after the half-hour mark thanks to young Austrian forward Tobias Hedl. Kasper Dolberg equalised from the spot just after half-time, but Zulte Waregem’s new signing Serxho Ujka made it 2-1 in the 69th. Anton Tanghe’s own goal in the 74th looked to have swung momentum back to Anderlecht, only for Danish forward Jeppe Erenbjerg to strike in stoppage time to make it 3-2 and provide a big shock this weekend.

Another head coach under pressure early on in Thorsten Fink. Genk have had a poor start and were undone by the new look Standard Liege. Awful defending gifted Standard Liege a first half penalty, which was converted by Thomas Henry for his second of the season. In the second half Standard caught Gent on the counter, with Henry’s wonderful cross-field ball finding Marlon Fossey, with the former Fulham man grabbing his first of the season. Tolu Arokodare did come off the bench to make it 2-1, but Fink’s men were unable to find an equaliser. Genk have not won yet this season.

The final game of the weekend saw Antwerp beat OH Leuven 3-1 at home. OHL have already conceded 10 goals in just three games as things look to be heading in the wrong direction under new head coach David Hubert. The side gave away two penalties, the first dispatched by Michel Ange Balikwisha, the second by Mahamadou Doumbia. Birger Verstraete was then sent off against his former side, only for Ewoud Pletinckx to pull one back for the side minutes later. Farouck Adekami came off the bench to make it 3-1 in added time and earn Antwerp their first three points of the campaign.

League table after Matchweek 3

Top goalscorers after Matchweek 3

Images courtesy of FotMob

GBeNeFN | Ben Jackson