Club Brugge, Genk, Antwerp, and Anderlecht Battle for the Croky Cup Final spot. The first-leg matches have already been played, and the return matches are scheduled for this week. Read all about it in this article.
Croky Cup
The Belgian Cup has been known as the Croky Cup since 2015, but the tournament has existed since 1908. Throughout those years, Club Brugge has secured the most victories, winning no less than 11 cups. Anderlecht and Standard follow with 9 and 8 wins, respectively. The current titleholder is Union, which defeated Antwerp in last year’s final.
The cup winner receives a trophy and qualifies for the UEFA Europa League preliminary rounds as well as the Belgian Super Cup.
Union started this cup competition as the defending champion but has already been eliminated by Antwerp. In a rematch of last year’s final, the Great Old delivered a crushing 5-1 victory. Antwerp will certainly be a formidable opponent for the other teams, all eager to lift the cup themselves. Club Brugge is chasing a double this year, while Genk is enjoying a strong season as the frontrunner in the Jupiler Pro League.
Genk vs. Club Brugge
The return leg between Genk and Club Brugge is scheduled for Wednesday, February 5, at the Cegeka Arena. The advantage in this matchup currently lies with the Blauw-Zwart (Club Brugge), who won 2-1 at home. They also gained confidence from their European campaign, having secured a spot in the Champions League play-offs, where they will face Atalanta led by Charles De Ketelaere. Club Brugge has set lofty goals this year, including both the national championship and cup victory.
The Bruges side already celebrated success on Tuesday, February 4, at the Golden Shoe awards. Hans Vanaken won the top prize, while Simon Mignolet and Nicky Hayen each took home trophies. It’s clear that Club Brugge boasts a wealth of talent excelling both nationally and internationally.
Racing Genk is also having an excellent season. Coach Thorsten Fink was one of the top candidates for Coach of the Year, though Nicky Hayen took the title. Genk isn’t playing in European competitions, allowing them to focus entirely on domestic success. Under Fink’s leadership, the Limburgers have firmly secured the top spot in the Jupiler Pro League. They earned their place in the semi-finals with a convincing 0-4 victory over STVV. With a club-record 11 consecutive home wins, Genk seems nearly unbeatable at their Cegeka Arena. They are eager to secure European qualification for next year.
Antwerp vs. Anderlecht
A day later, on Thursday, February 6, Antwerp hosts the Mauves of Anderlecht at the Bosuil Stadium. The Great Old can be pleased with their recent result, a Jupiler Pro League match against Club Brugge. Although an early goal from Hans Vanaken seemed to settle the match, Antwerp turned the game around in the final minutes to secure three points in Koekenstad.
As mentioned earlier, Antwerp convincingly knocked out Union in the quarter-finals.
Anderlecht had a tougher path to the semi-finals. In their quarter-final against Beerschot, the Mauves took an early lead but failed to deliver convincing play, narrowly winning 1-0. If they want to reach the final, they will need to perform much better against a strong Antwerp side that is clearly in form.
Anderlecht is desperate for a win, having recently earned just 6 points from their last 18 in the Belgian league and suffering a defeat in the Europa League against Hoffenheim. Coach David Hubert is determined to reach the final and will likely reinstate Colin Coosemans and Kasper Dolberg following injuries. At Antwerp, all players are fit, allowing Jonas De Roeck to field his strongest eleven.
Magic Betting Live
Want to make these Croky Cup matches even more exciting? Check out the Magic Betting App or visit the website www.magicbetting.be for the best online sports bets. Don’t forget to explore the various promotional offers. Take a chance and win!
