On Friday night there’s a Belgian clash in the Jupiler Pro with implications at both ends of the table. Oostende take on Antwerp as third from bottom meets third from top.
Antwerp come into this fresh off the back of a 3-0 success at home against fellow Championship Group contenders Charleroi, this certainly gives Antwerp the match fitness edge. Oostende on the other hand haven’t played competitively so far this year with their last league game coming on Boxing Day with Genk soundly dispatching them 4-0 at the Diaz Arena.
To make matters worse for Oostende, they come into this missing Maxime D’Arpino, Vincent Koziello & Marko Kvasina all through injury. Steven Fortes & Kenny Rocha Santos are away representing Cape Verde in the African Cup of Nations with the latter attracting glances from across Europe, with scouts from Feyernord & Liverpool even reported to be watching him play for Cape Verde. He impressed in their clash with Ethiopia earning man of the match. Long term absentee’s Indy Boonen and Manuel Osifo have remaining questions over his inclusion.
Antwerp have 3 possible returnee’s from injury in defender Buta, midfielder Sander Coopman and forward Bruny Nsimba. Coopman actually spent a season at Oostende in 2018, scoring twice in 23 appearance’s in the league, before moving to Antwerp.
Given the players unavailable to the home side, Oostende could line up with some players familiar to fans of English football. Arsenal academy graduate Zech Medley at the back, former Norwich, Luton and Barnsley star Cameron McGeegan and former Man City youth prospect Thierry Ambrose. The goals however, if they are to come for the home side are likely to come from Makhtar Gueye whose likely to play alongside Ambrose, with Alexander Blessin often favouring a 2 man attack. Gueye has 11 goals in 20 games in the league this season and has already matched his final tally for last season in 13 games less.
Antwerp are likely to line up similarly to their previous victory against Charleroi, Michael Frey did the damage that day with a brace. That took him to 17 for the season domestically in just 21 games, he’s an almost constant goal threat who even managed 5 goals in one game away at Standard Liege earlier this season. Brian Priske also has one time Aston Villa striker Mbwana Samatta to call on, others perhaps more well known is Samatta’s former Villa team mate Bjorn Engels, Ritchie De Leat another former Villain will be a name familiar to some as the former Manchester United and Stoke youth player spent alot of time in England with numerous loans and permanent moves to Leciester and Villa. Finally in Midfield, Antwerp manager Brian Priske has Danish star Viktor Fischer and Belgian capped Radja Nainggolan.
With not a lot of relevant recent form to go on for both sides as mentioned, a look at the Head to Heads paints a different story to what the league table would have you believe.
Over the past 5 games between the sides; Antwerp have won twice including their most recent clash last November, Oostende just the once and there has been 2 draw’s between the sides.
Either way the game should make for a fascinating clash on Friday night with both sides needing the points for differing reasons, I think Antwerp have more than enough to get the job done but I wouldn’t rule out Oostende finding the net.
The Percentage Game 