OH Leuven vs Antwerp Preview & Prediction | 2023-24 Belgian Pro League
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THE FACTS
When is OH Leuven vs Antwerp on and what time does it start? OH Leuven vs Antwerp will take place on Friday 18th August, 2023 – 19:45 (UK)
Where can I get tickets for OH Leuven vs Antwerp? Visit each team’s official website for the latest ticket information
Where can I watch OH Leuven vs Antwerp in the UK? OH Leuven vs Antwerp will not be televised live and cannot be streamed in the UK
THE LOWDOWN
OH LEUVEN
Oud-Heverlee Leuven come into this on the back of a 5-1 thrashing at the hands of Royale Union Saint-Gilloise in their most recent outing, last weekend. The home team have spent the last few seasons finishing in mid-table under the long-term management of Marc Brys. With the reduction of the Jupiler Pro League from 18 to 16 teams, they are expected to struggle this time around, though, and that is beginning to come to pass very early on.
The hosts started the season with a disappointing and frustrating 1-1 draw away to Sporting Charleroi, who were down to ten men for over 70 minutes of that match but it took until the 85th minute for OH Leuven to get an equaliser and even then they relied on it coming from the penalty spot. Since then they have been beaten 2-1 at home by newly-promoted RWDM and then being, as mentioned, annihilated by Union SG.
ANTWERP
The Belgian Jupiler Pro League is one of the highest scoring and most proactive leagues in terms of tactical innovation and attacking intent. Last year’s champions, though, are a little more pragmatic and old school with former Wolfsburg manager and Netherlands captain Mark van Bommel in the dugout, managing in a manner that is similar to how he used to play the game.
The reigning champions, who won their first league title in over 50 years in dramatic fashion on the final day of last season thanks to a strike from outside the box by Toby Alderweireld in second-half stoppage-time, had begun this season in fairly sterile fashion, lacking fluidity as they edged past Cercle Brugge by a goal to nil but then lost 1-0 at Anderlecht a week later. However, they now come into this on the back of a 6-0 demolition of a Kortrijk side that are expected to be alongside OH Leuven down towards the bottom end of the table this season.
THE PREDICTED LINE-UPS
OH LEUVEN
Throughout his managerial career and tenure at OH Leuven, Marc Brys has preferred a 3-4-2-1 or 3-4-1-2 system. He changed that, though, to a 4-3-1-2 at the start of this season and will be keen on sticking with that as Richie Sagrado is likely to return to the side at right-back as well as key attacker Mathieu Maertens.
PREDICTED XI (3-4-1-2): Cojocaru; Sagrado, Pletinckx, Ricca, Mendyl; Keita, Schrijvers, Banzuzi; Maertens; Opoku, Porsteinsson
UNAVAILABLE:
QUESTIONABLE:
ANTWERP
Mark van Bommel has a fully fit and available squad. He has often preferred a 4-2-3-1 system but it looked like more of a 4-3-3 last week with Michel-Ange Balikwisha playing a bit deeper. After winning 6-0, they are expected to be unchanged.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Butez; Bataille, Alderweireld, De Laet, Avila; Ekkelenkamp, Vermeeren; Kerk, Balikwisha, Ondrejka; Janssen
UNAVAILABLE:
QUESTIONABLE:
THE PREDICTION
As mentioned, Oud-Heverlee Leuven will be concerned by the competitiveness of this season’s Belgian Jupiler Pro League and will be seeing themselves as candidates to fall from towards mid-table and into the relegation fight. Given their start to the season, as well as the fact it seems as though Antwerp are ready to turn up and truly demolish the struggling sides in this division, if last week is anything to go by at least, the reigning champions are firm favourites to make it back-to-back victories, albeit they do have UEFA Champions League playoff football to contend with in the upcoming midweek.
TIP: ANTWERP TO WIN
