The Belgian Pro League playoffs delivered thrilling action over the weekend, with key matches shaping the standings in both the championship and relegation groups. Here’s a comprehensive look at the latest results and news from the Belgian football scene.
On Sunday, May 10, the playoff schedule featured several intriguing fixtures. In the seventh round of the playoffs, Gent and Anderlecht played out a 1-1 draw, while Union Saint-Gilloise secured a convincing 3-0 victory over Mechelen. Later, Antwerp fell 1-0 to Charleroi, and Genk dominated Westerlo with a 3-0 win.
A video recap of the Genk vs. Westerlo match from the Belgian League Playoff 2 is now available, highlighting the key moments of the game.
A highlight reel from the Belgian League Playoff 1 match between Club Brugge and Sint-Truiden has also been released, showcasing the action from that fixture.
Sint-Truiden celebrated a dramatic comeback victory over Union Saint-Gilloise, securing their third consecutive win in the championship playoff and guaranteeing a top-four finish.
A full match recap of Sint-Truiden’s playoff clash with Union Saint-Gilloise, which took place on May 3, is now online.
For more Belgian league video content, click here.
In other news, Japan national team hopeful Kaoru Mitoma suffered a thigh injury over the weekend, forcing him to leave the pitch early. This development has caused concern ahead of the May 15 squad announcement for the Samurai Blue.
Meanwhile, Genk’s Japanese winger Junya Ito delivered a standout performance, recording one goal and one assist. Local media named him Man of the Match, praising his “brilliant play that made the difference.” His precise cross drew comparisons to “Japanese Beckham,” with fans marveling at the beauty of his delivery. Ito has now reached five goals and five assists this season, earning widespread acclaim for his “perfect assist” and ability to find teammates in dangerous positions.
In other Belgian league news:
– Club Brugge maintained their grip on the title race after a clean-sheet victory, effectively ending Sint-Truiden’s hopes of winning the league.
– Sint-Truiden’s Ryotaro Ito converted a penalty to help his team secure their first-ever win over Union Saint-Gilloise, with Rihito Yamamoto earning Man of the Match honors after winning the penalty.
– Ryotaro Ito also contributed a goal and an assist in a dominant 4-0 win over Mechelen, while Shion Shinkawa made his first-team debut.
– Sint-Truiden coach Yasuaki Osato spoke about the team’s relentless work rate, emphasizing the importance of defensive effort from the forwards.
Here are the current standings across the various playoff groups:
**League Stage Standings** (top five):
1. Union Saint-Gilloise – 66 pts (19W, 9D, 2L)
2. Club Brugge – 63 pts (20W, 3D, 7L)
3. Sint-Truiden – 57 pts (18W, 3D, 9L)
4. Gent – 45 pts (13W, 6D, 11L)
5. Mechelen – 45 pts (12W, 9D, 9L)
**Playoff 1 Standings** (top five):
1. Club Brugge – 50 pts (26W, 3D, 8L)
2. Union Saint-Gilloise – 49 pts (24W, 10D, 3L)
3. Sint-Truiden – 39 pts (21W, 4D, 12L)
4. Anderlecht – 29 pts (14W, 9D, 14L)
5. Gent – 27 pts (13W, 10D, 14L)
**Playoff 2 Standings** (top five):
1. Standard Liège – 33 pts (15W, 8D, 14L)
2. Genk – 33 pts (14W, 12D, 11L)
3. Charleroi – 30 pts (13W, 8D, 16L)
4. Westerlo – 30 pts (13W, 10D, 14L)
5. Antwerp – 27 pts (12W, 8D, 17L)
**Playoff 3 Standings** (top four):
1. Zulte Waregem – 48 pts (13W, 9D, 14L)
2. Cercle Brugge – 41 pts (10W, 11D, 15L)
3. La Louvière – 34 pts (7W, 13D, 16L)
4. Dender – 25 pts (5W, 10D, 21L)
**Top Scorers**:
1. Nicolo Tresoldi (Club Brugge) – 15 goals
2. Christos Tzolis (Club Brugge) – 14 goals
2. Jeppe Eilenburg (Zulte Waregem) – 14 goals
4. Thorgan Hazard (Anderlecht) – 13 goals
5. Wilfried Kanga (Gent) – 11 goals
Japanese players continue to feature prominently, with Junya Ito (Genk), Ayumu Yokoyama (Genk), Seiji Kimura (Westerlo), Shunsuke Saito (Westerlo), and Issei Sakamoto (Westerlo) all making their mark in the Belgian league this season.
