OH Leuven - Club: the Club Facts

Unibet - Number 1 in responsible games

This is the 9th confrontation between the two teams in First Division, the 5th time in Leuven. The 4 previous relocations produced 2 wins (last time 0-1 on 13/03/2016) and 2 defeats (last time 4-1 on 20/10/2012). Last week, Club remained unbeaten in the Jupiler Pro League for the 11th consecutive away match. With the defeat of Sporting Charleroi, it also climbed to first place. Club is the primus is both categories with 22 goals scored and 6 goals against. Club and OHL already faced each other earlier this season. During the preparation both teams played a match of 2x 60 minutes against each other. Club won 4-1 thanks to 2 goals from Vanaken, Badji and an own goal. Vekemans scored for the team from Leuven.

50th match for Horvath?

Top shooter at Club Hans Vanaken was joined by Krépin Diatta last weekend. Both scored 5 goals. Only Onuachu (KRC Genk, 8 goals), Holzhauser (Beerschot VA, 7 goals) and Heymans (Waasland-Beveren, 6 goals) scored more. Assist king at Club is Ruud Vormer with 4 assists. He may play his 210th league game for Club.

Ethan Horvath will probably be between the posts for Club for the 50th time in the Jupiler Pro League. In 49 league matches he kept the zero 16 times.

The opponent

Leuven made an excellent start to the season and is in 7th place after 9 match days, 4 points behind league leader Blauw-Zwart. 4 home matches provided Oud-Heverlee Leuven with 7 points: against Standard they stunted with 1-0 and also Zulte Waregem (2-1) lost. A draw was played against KAS Eupen (1-1) and only Sporting Charleroi (1-3) lost. Last match day OHL fought back from a 2-0 deficit on the field of RSC Anderlecht. Frédéric Duplus and Mathieu Maertens pulled out a draw. Last summer, OHL was able to promote because the number of clubs in First Division was increased to 18 teams.

Together with Sporting Charleroi and Waasland-Beveren, Oud-Heverlee Leuven is the only club that could score in every match. With Xavier Mercier, the club has the national assist king in its ranks. The 31-year-old Frenchman already handed out 8 passes that led to a goal. The 20-year-old Ghanaian Kamal Sowah, who has been playing at OHL on loan from sister club Leicester since January 2018, is their top shooter with 4 goals.

With Jérémy Perbet and Thibault Vlientinck (rented from Club), the club has 2 players with a Club past. This summer the club said goodbye to Laurent Henkinet [Standard], Yanis Mbombo [Stade Lausanne] and Sam Hendriks [GA Eagles]. Jan Van den Bergh (rented from AA Gent) meanwhile plays at Beerschot VA.

Along incoming sides included these players:
Goalkeeper: Daniel Iversen [rented from Leicester City], Rafael Romo [Silkeborg].

Defenders: Casper De Norre [hired from KRC Genk], Vaclav Jemelka [hired from Sigma Olomouc], Barnabás Bese [AC Le Havre]

Midfielders: Kristiyan Malinov [CSKA Sofia]

Attackers: Musa Al-Tamari [APOEL Nicosia], Thibault Vlietinck [leased at Club], Jonah Osabutey [leased at Werder Bremen], Josh Eppiah [leased at Leicester City]

Other matches this matchday:
Fri 23/10 20:45 KV Kortrijk - RSC Anderlecht
Sat 24/10 16:15 KAS Eupen - YR KV Mechelen
Sat 24/10 18:30 Cercle Brugge KSV - R. Excel Mouscron
Sun 25/10 13:30 R. Antwerp FC - K. Beerschot VA
Sun 25/10 16:00 KV Oostende - SV Zulte Waregem
Sun 25/10 18:15 K. Sint-Truidense VV - R. Standard de Liège
Sun 25/10 20:45 Sp. du Pays de Charleroi - KV RS Waasland-SK Beveren
Mon 26/10 20:45 KAA Gent - KRC Genk