Antwerp secured a commanding 4-1 victory over Westerlo in the Belgian Pro League on Saturday, April 25, 2026, with Gyrano Kerk’s second-half goal sealing the win after Emin Bayram’s early red card left Westerlo chasing the game.
The match, played at Westerlo’s home ground, began with Antwerp striker Vincent Janssen striking twice in the opening 28 minutes. Janssen converted chances in the 25th and 28th minutes to put Antwerp ahead 2-0, capitalizing on Westerlo’s defensive vulnerabilities following Bayram’s dismissal.
Bayram, Westerlo’s 23-year-old Turkish centre back, received a straight red card in the 7th minute of the match. The dismissal came early in the contest, significantly impacting Westerlo’s ability to contain Antwerp’s attacking threats throughout the first half.
Antwerp extended their lead before halftime when Christopher Scott found the net in the 44th minute, making it 3-0. The goal arrived just before the break, effectively ending any realistic hopes of a Westerlo comeback before the teams entered the dressing rooms.
Westerlo managed to pull one back early in the second half through Isa Sakamoto, who scored in the 58th minute to make it 3-1. The goal briefly revived home hopes, but Antwerp responded decisively just two minutes later.
Gyrano Kerk restored Antwerp’s three-goal advantage with a goal in the 60th minute. Kerk’s finish came after a swift counterattack, highlighting Antwerp’s effectiveness on the break following Bayram’s early dismissal.
The result leaves Antwerp on course for a potential 9-point haul from their opening three fixtures, having already collected six points from their first two matches. Westerlo, meanwhile, saw their chance to climb to the top of the Europe Play-offs standings diminish with the home defeat.
According to verified match data, Vincent Janssen came close to completing a hattrick later in the second half but saw his effort travel wide. The miss denied Janssen what would have been his third goal of the afternoon.
Both teams made several substitutions as the match progressed. Antwerp replaced Christopher Scott, Daam Foulon, and Anthony Valencia with Youssef Hamdaoui, Rein van Helden, and Thibo Somers respectively, all in the 61st minute. Westerlo made changes of their own, bringing on Farouck Adekami for Eran Tuypens and Thomas Van den Keybus for Isa Sakamoto in the 69th minute.
The match featured numerous yellow cards, with Westerlo players Josimar Alcócer, Christopher Scott, Arthur Piedfort, Daam Foulon, and Allahyar Sayyadmanesh all receiving cautions at various points. Antwerp’s discipline appeared stronger by comparison, with fewer cards shown to their players.
Emin Bayram, who joined Westerlo permanently in 2024 after a successful loan spell, has made 58 appearances for the club, scoring three goals. The 23-year-old defender, born in Istanbul, Turkey, stands at 1.92 meters tall and previously played for Galatasaray and Boluspor before establishing himself in Belgium.
Antwerp will look to build on this victory in their next fixture, even as Westerlo must regroup ahead of their subsequent match as they seek to recover from this setback in their European play-off campaign.
What are your thoughts on Antwerp’s dominant performance and Westerlo’s struggle to cope with the early red card? Share your views in the comments below and join the discussion.
