Royal Antwerp are set to host Sint-Truiden at Bosuilstadion in Belgium's Pro League on Sunday in each side's third game of the league season.
The home side are 10th with three points and a goal difference of zero, while the visitors are last in 16th place with a minus four goal difference.
Match preview
![Gyrano Kerk of Royal Antwerp FC during the Belgian Pro League match between Royal Antwerp FC and RSC Anderlecht at the Bosuil Stadium on August 4, 2024 [on August 9, 2024]](https://sm.imgix.net/24/32/gyrano-kerk.jpg?w=640&h=480&auto=compress,format&fit=clip "Gyrano Kerk of Royal Antwerp FC during the Belgian Pro League match between Royal Antwerp FC and RSC Anderlecht at the Bosuil Stadium on August 4, 2024 [on August 9, 2024]")
© Imago
The hosts lost 2-1 last time out on August 4 against Anderlecht in a match that was a remarkably open contest.
Royal Antwerp had 29 shots with just 42% possession and managed to generate well over two xG, while Anderlecht had 10 shots, four of which were on target.
In their 1-0 win against Sporting Charleroi in their first league game on July 28, they produced 12 shots, eight of which came from inside their opponent's penalty area.
However, boss Jonas De Roeck will be particularly concerned about his side's defensive frailty in the opening two games, especially against Sporting Charleroi, who finished 13th in the regular season last term but still managed to generate 11 shots against his team.
In fairness to De Roeck, he has only been in charge for two competitive games, and in his previous role at Westerlo, he guided the club into the top flight from Belgian's second division in 2021-22.
Royal Antwerp have only won once at home in the last seven league matches and have lost five of those fixtures.
![Christian Lattanzio, head coach of Sint-Truiden, during the Jupiler Pro League match between Sint-Truidense VV and Sporting Charleroi on August 3, 2024 [on August 9, 2024]](https://sm.imgix.net/24/32/christian-lattanzio.jpg?w=640&h=480&auto=compress,format&fit=clip "Christian Lattanzio, head coach of Sint-Truiden, during the Jupiler Pro League match between Sint-Truidense VV and Sporting Charleroi on August 3, 2024 [on August 9, 2024]")
© Imago
Opponents Sint-Truiden lost 4-1 last time out on August 3 against Sporting Charleroi and were trailing by four goals at half time.
Sporting Charleroi had 19 shots, seven on target and 10 attempts inside the penalty area, all with just 46% possession.
Sint-Truiden lost their first game of the league season against Anderlecht on July 27, a match in which they conceded 11 shots and only produced two of their own.
Manager Christian Lattanzio was appointed in June 2024 and replaced Thorsten Fink, who now manages fellow Belgian side Genk.
Lattanzio's team come into the game in poor league form, as while they lost their first two games of the Belgian top-flight campaign, they also won just once in the last eight fixtures of the 2023-24 season.
Sint-Truiden have also failed to win any of their last five Pro League matches away from home and have in fact won just three of their last 27 games on the road.
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Team News
![Zeno van den Bosch of Royal Antwerp FC with Royal Antwerp coach Jonas de Roeck during the Belgian Pro League match between Royal Antwerp FC and RSC Anderlecht at the Bosuil Stadium on August 4, 2024 [on August 9, 2024]](https://sm.imgix.net/24/32/zeno-van-den-bosch-and-jonas-de-roeck.jpg?w=640&h=480&auto=compress,format&fit=clip "Zeno van den Bosch of Royal Antwerp FC with Royal Antwerp coach Jonas de Roeck during the Belgian Pro League match between Royal Antwerp FC and RSC Anderlecht at the Bosuil Stadium on August 4, 2024 [on August 9, 2024]")
© Imago
The hosts will almost certainly be without Bjorn Engels, who has not featured for the club since October 25.
Gyrano Kerk came in at right-wing, while Tjaronn Chery played in a more central position in the forward line during Royal Antwerp's match against Anderlecht, and both could start once again.
As for the visitors, given they lost 4-1 last time out against Sporting Charleroi, Sint-Truiden boss Lattanzio could look to bring centre-back David Mindombe into the starting lineup.
Alouis Diriken could also come back into the starting XI in place of Ryotaro Ito.
Royal Antwerp possible starting lineup:
Lammens; Bataille, Alderweireld, Van den Bosch, Costa; Odoi, Doumbia; Kerk, Chery, Ondrejka; Janssen
Sint-Truiden possible starting lineup:
Coppens; Van Helden, Godeau, Mindombe; Ananou, Diriken, Vanwesemael, Ogawa; Dumont, Zahiroleslam, Nhaili
We say: Royal Antwerp 2-0 Sint-Truiden
Neither team have been particularly impressive in the opening two games of the season, but Royal Antwerp have at least demonstrated good attacking intent.
Sint-Truiden have also been defensively frail, and it would be surprising to see them avoid defeat in Sunday's clash.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Lewis Nolan
