The Croky Cup, also known as the Belgian Cup, kicks off again this week. There are 16 teams left in this round, from both the First Division and 1B. Reigning champion Union is still in contention, but with Gent as a challenger, it won’t be an easy week. Read all about the Croky Cup’s Round of 16 in this article.
Tuesday, December 3
Club Brugge will kick off this round at Patro Eisden’s field in Limburg. The national champions haven’t won the cup in nearly 10 years. Their last victory came in 2015 when they defeated Anderlecht in the final to secure their 11th cup. However, they were runners-up in both 2016 and 2020. This match will also be crucial for Patro Eisden and coach Stijn Stijnen, who were fined for unsportsmanlike conduct after the previous round. Club Brugge is on alert, but it’s unlikely Stijnen will take such a risk again.
Wednesday, December 4
One day later, OHL will face Zulte Waregem at the King Power at Den Dreef Stadium. Zulte is performing well in 1B and currently shares first place with La Louvière, five points ahead of RWDM. Jelle Vossen has been outstanding, scoring eight goals in the last four matches. Meanwhile, OHL needs points urgently in the Jupiler Pro League, as they sit in 13th place.
Later, a top clash between Union and Gent will follow. The defending cup champions will host the Buffaloes at the Joseph Marien Stadium. Both teams hold strong positions in the Jupiler Pro League, making them formidable opponents. Only one team can progress from this round, raising the question: Can Union find last year’s form and make another deep cup run? Gent, who lifted the cup in 2022, will certainly aim to prevent that.
That same day, Genk will face Standard. As a top seed, Genk’s early elimination would be a major upset, but Standard will fight hard to stay alive. They’ve had a disappointing season, and success in the cup could boost their morale. Currently, Gent is 6th in the Jupiler Pro League, while Standard is in 9th place.
Beerschot, who recently lost to KV Mechelen, will get a shot at redemption this week. They’ll have home advantage, hosting Malinwa at the Olympisch Stadion in Antwerp. Despite this, it won’t be easy, as Beerschot is struggling at the bottom of the Jupiler Pro League, whereas Mechelen is comfortably in 5th place.
Kortrijk also has a chance for revenge against a recent opponent. Just a month ago, they lost 1-2 to Antwerp. A win against Antwerp would boost Kortrijk’s confidence, which is much needed as they currently sit in 14th place. Antwerp, in contrast, is thriving at 3rd place.
STVV has shown promise under coach Felice Mazzu, but their last match ended disastrously. They were thrashed 7-0 by Club Brugge. However, they managed to draw against Genk afterward. Cercle Brugge could use STVV’s recent form as motivation. Still, Cercle is having a rough season, sitting at 15th place, just one spot below STVV in 12th.
Thursday, December 5
The Round of 16 concludes with Anderlecht vs. Westerlo. Westerlo pulled off a surprise in their last game by equalizing late against Gent, earning them 8th place in the Jupiler Pro League. For Anderlecht, currently 4th, this match should not be too challenging. Their recent form, with three wins and one draw in their last five games, supports that optimism.
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