Standard Liège 2-2 Cercle Brugge result, stats and report

Sporting Charleroi won 3-2 against Cercle Brugge in the Belgian Pro League, but they made it far harder than it needed to be. Two penalties, a VAR intervention, and a Cercle side that dominated possession but couldn't convert their chances tell the story.

Cercle Brugge snatched a stoppage-time equaliser through Krys Kouassi's penalty to deny OH Leuven a first win of their recent Belgian Pro League run, finishing 1-1 in a bad-tempered match that ended with cards flying and a VAR check in added time.

Westerlo beat Standard Liège 4-2 in the Belgian Pro League despite being second-best in possession and attacks for much of the match. Clinical finishing and a ruthless second-half performance did the job.

Lommel SK claimed a hard-fought 1-0 victory at Cercle Brugge, with Tom Reyners' 61st-minute finish proving the difference as the hosts extended their winless run to five matches in the Belgian Pro League.

Standard Liège took all three points from Den Dreef with a 2-1 victory over OH Leuven, winning despite being outshot 22 to 5 and holding just 38% of possession. Casper Nielsen's early penalty and Dennis Eckert Ayensa's second-half strike proved enough.

Gent claimed all three points at Cercle Brugge thanks to Emmanuel Kakou's own goal in the 21st minute, with the hosts unable to convert their superior possession into a leveller. Connor Maguire gives his verdict on a damning afternoon for Cercle.

Standard Liège host Sporting Charleroi on Sunday in a Belgian Pro League fixture that has genuine bite. Both sides are in form, the head-to-head is tight, and Charleroi have already beaten Standard this year.

Cercle Brugge head into Saturday's home fixture without a win in their last five Belgian Pro League matches, and Anderlecht arrive having kept four clean sheets in their last five. Something has to give.