Kortrijk vs Club Brugge

Club Brugge’s Belgium First Division A title credentials will be on the line when they meet mid-table Kortrijk at the Guldensporen Stadion.

It’s been an underwhelming start to the new calendar year for Kortrijk, as they’ve drawn all three Belgium First Division A matches despite breaking the deadlock twice in that run. However, it also means that they are now unbeaten in their last six league games in a row (W3, D3), scoring precisely twice in four of them. Still, Kortrijk’s recent home performances have flattered to deceive, as they’ve only won one of their last four top-flight outings at the Guldensporen Stadion (D2, L1) without keeping a single clean sheet in that period. Club Brugge’s visit to the town is unlikely to help ‘De Kerels’ launch a winning streak, considering they are winless in their last four league H2Hs as hosts (D2, L2), conceding precisely two goals on three of those occasions.

On the other hand, Club Brugge got 2022 proceedings off to a flying start, cruising to a 2-0 home win over St Truiden at home in their first post-Christmas league game. But they have since drawn back-to-back top-flight fixtures, hence dropping a staggering nine points adrift of table-toppers Union SG. If they are to stand any chance in the title race this season, the ‘Blauw-Zwart’ have to halt a run of two successive league travels without winning (D1, L1). A telling first-half performance could be the way to do so, with Brugge racking up three victories from four away league games when leading at half-time this term (D1). After scoring in the first half across three of their last four top-flight road trips, Alfred Schreuder’s men will be confident of setting the pace early on.