KVC Westerlo and Royal Antwerp FC return from the long interlandbreak on Sunday evening at 6:30 PM local time (18:30 UTC+2) to face off in Het Kuipje, with Voetbalkrant.com reporting that the home side aims to extend a winning run while the visitors desperately seek a turnaround after sliding down the standings.
Westerlo Seeks Fourth Straight Win After Slow Start
Westerlo enters Sunday’s fixture holding eighth place in the league table with 10 points from seven matches, according to VoetbalPrimeur.be. Issame Charaï’s side endured a dismal start to the campaign with three consecutive defeats before steadying their form. A draw against Zulte Waregem sparked a three-match winning streak against KV Mechelen, Standard, and STVV, culminating in a 2-0 victory over STVV just before the international pause.
During the break, Charaï largely kept his squad together on the training ground to maintain momentum. Midfielder Doğucan Haspolat remains doubtful for the weekend clash due to an ankle injury, leaving the technical staff monitoring his fitness ahead of kickoff at Het Kuipje.
Antwerp Looks to Reset After Four Straight Losses
The atmosphere at Royal Antwerp FC presents a stark contrast as Marvin Compper’s team struggles to halt a downward spiral. The Great Old sits 13th in the standings with seven points from seven games, having suffered four consecutive league defeats, including a 0-2 loss to Union Saint-Gilloise prior to the break. Defensive vulnerabilities have plagued the squad during the poor run, conceding 15 goals overall so far.
To address these shortcomings, Compper utilized the interlandbreak to take the squad away on a mini-training camp aimed at securing a mental and tactical reset. The club cannot afford further dropped points if they wish to climb away from the lower reaches of the table.
League Standing Contrast and Historical Head-to-Head
Statistics show both clubs sharing a defensive fragility early in the season, with Westerlo conceding 16 goals alongside their 15 scored, while Antwerp has also shipped 15 goals through seven rounds. In recent head-to-head encounters, historical edge favors the visitors slightly; Antwerp has claimed three victories in the last five meetings against Westerlo, with the home side taking the remaining two.
Sunday evening’s match in Westerlo kicks off at 18:30 local time as Charaï’s team looks to confirm their recovery against a struggling Antwerp side fighting to reverse its fortunes.
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