Union SG will look to secure their first win in the 2024-25 Belgian Pro League season when they take on Beerschot Wilrijk at Stade Joseph Marien on Friday evening.
The hosts ended last season in second place behind Club Brugge in the league standings, while the visitors earned promotion to the top flight by winning the Challenger Pro League.
Match preview
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The resurgence of Royale Union Saint-Gilloise has arguably been one of the most remarkable stories in all of Belgian football in recent seasons.
Les Unionistes were part of the Challenger Pro League as recently as the 2020-21 season before remarkably finishing second in their first season back in the top flight just a year later when they were edged to the title by Club Brugge.
They finally ended a nearly 90-year-long wait for a major trophy by claiming the Belgian Cup last year, but for the third consecutive season, fell short of winning the league crown, again pipped at the death by the Blue and Blacks.
Nevertheless, with a new season comes renewed hope, and new boss Sebastien Pocognoli has already tasted success with this side, having won the Super Cup on July 20 against the defending champions.
Since his arrival, the Italian is yet to lose a match, winning two of the club's three pre-season matches, although he will be looking for improvement here after dropping points away to newly promoted Dender last weekend.
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Meanwhile, Beerschot also enjoyed a successful 2023-24 campaign, emerging as a surprise package in the Challenger Pro League last season, earning a return to Belgium's top flight after a two-year absence.
De Ratten, who share owners with Sheffield United, will be hoping to do better than their sister club did in the Premier League last season, by surviving the drop in the top flight upon their return this term.
After an incredible start to the Challenger Pro League season, Andreas Wieland opted to depart the club to take up the technical director role with LASK, which saw Beerschot turn to former Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt to lead them back to the big time.
The 43-year-old has done a remarkable job since joining, suffering only one defeat in his 13 matches in charge between divisions, including holding OH Leuven to a goalless draw last week at home.
However, he will now face the sternest test of his current tenure, against an opponent that are unbeaten in their last five home games in all competitions and kept three clean sheets in that time.
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Team News
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Union SG have had to start the season without the services of three players, with Christian Burgess, Ross Sykes and new arrival Kamiel Van De Perre all ruled out for the first few weeks due to injury.
Promise David was handed his debut off the bench last week after being brought in from Kalju FC in the offseason, and the Nigerian will be hoping to make the starting 11 in this one.
Beerschot are down just one player at present in Ayouba Kosiah, who suffered a cruciate ligament tear during the course of last season and is expected to remain sidelined for a few more months.
Having maintained a clean sheet last week, Kuyt may well opt to remain unchanged at the back for this match with Apostolos Konstantopoulos, Herve Matthys and Derrick Tshimanga making up the defensive trio.
Union SG possible starting lineup:
Moris; Mac Allister, Machida, Leysen; Castro-Montes, Sadiki, Vanhoutte, Puertas, Teklab; Kabangu, Eckert
Beerschot Wilrijk possible starting lineup:
Matijas; Konstantopoulos, Matthys, Tshimanga; Plat, Cargo, Sanusi, Michez; Reyners, Keita Verlinden
We say: Union SG 2-0 Beerschot Wilrijk
While Beerschot made a promising return to the top flight last week, they face a significant step up in class of opponent here, and we feel they will struggle to keep up with the hosts in this one.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Devesh Jaganath
