Our prediction for this Belgium Pro League match:
St Gilloise
Match Time & Date:
01/09/2024
18:30
Prediction: 1-1
Anderlecht
Sparkles will be flying when Royale Union SG and Anderlecht lock horns at Stade Joseph Marien in the Jupiler League derby. St Gilloise failed to impress in a goalless draw with St. Truiden at the weekend, but it is well known that they produce much better showings at home than on the travels. Midfielder Henok Teklab misses out with a broken leg, whereas experienced forward Guillaume Francois is a major doubt after limping off with injury in the last league fixture.
The capital club, on the other hand, are on a quest to win their first Jupiler League trophy since 2017 and, no doubt, their recent displays are fuelling fans with optimism. Anderlecht proved their worth in the Conference League win over Dinamo Minsk and given their fine performance in a 3-1 victory at Mechelen, away win should be considered. All Francis Amuzu, Jan Vertonghen, and Thorgan Hazard are injured for the away team.
Highlighted Player (Jan Vertonghen):
After spending four years at Ajax, in 2006 Jan Vertonghen signed a loan deal with RKC Waalwijk. The left-footed defender spent one season at Mandemakers Stadion and he returned to Ajax for the 2007/2008 season. The highly rated footballer, who is capable of playing as both centre back and left back, signed a deal with Tottenham Hotspur on 8 July, 2012 and he has been playing for the Premier League outfit ever since.
The Belgian defender scored four goals for the Spurs in the 2012/2013 Premier League season and he made 34 league appearances for the White Hart Lane outfit back then. In the 2015/2016 season Jan Vertonghen and his teammates were producing brilliant displays with Tottenham, but the Spurs eventually finished the campaign in third place in the standings.
Speaking of his international career, Vertonghen made it to both World Cup (2014) and Euro (2016) quarter-finals with the Belgian national team. Jan was born on 24 April, 1987 and his shirt number is 5.
Highlighted Team (Anderlecht):
Founded on 27 May, 1908, Anderlecht are considered one of the oldest clubs in Belgium. The Paars-wit are the dominant force in the Belgian Pro League and in 2014 they won their 33rd domestic trophy. Anderlecht did remarkably well to win the UEFA Super Cup title in 1983, with the team defeating Benfica in the final of the competition.
The Belgian outfit recorded a 1-0 over the Eagles in the first leg, with the two teams playing out a 1-1 draw in the return leg. Anderlecht play their home games at Constant Vanden Stock Stadium, the venue that was opened in 1917. The stadium was renovated in 1983 and current capacity of Anderlecht’s home ground is 28 063.
The Paars-wit have long-standing rivalries with the likes of Standard Liege and Club Brugge, whilst FC Brussels were considered the club’s bitter opponents in the past. The likes of Besnik Hasi, Lucas Biglia, Filip De Wilde and Romelu Lukaku are some of Anderlecht’s notable players.
