Standard Liège 0-2 Sporting Charleroi 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.

Sporting Charleroi took all three points at Zulte-Waregem thanks to a Jakob Napoleon Romsaas goal on 29 minutes, as the hosts squandered chance after chance in a maddening afternoon for the home side.

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.

Sporting Charleroi made it four wins from five in the Belgian Pro League with a convincing 3-1 victory at KV Kortrijk, a side that has now conceded six goals without reply in their two previous outings and looks badly short of the basics.

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.

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.

Sporting Charleroi carry the form of a side that knows exactly what they are doing, while Cercle Brugge arrive in Wallonia without a clean sheet in five away matches. The structure of this contest tells a clear story before a ball is kicked.

Gent host Standard Liège on Friday evening carrying the better early-season league record, but Standard arrive with a form book that demands serious attention. This is a fixture with genuine tactical intrigue beneath the surface.