Sint-Truidenvs.Charleroi

The two teams both suffered narrow defeats in the opening round of fixtures of the new term last weekend and will bid to get their campaigns up and running.

Match preview

Sint-Truiden will play their first game of the season at the Daio Wasabi Stayen Stadium on Saturday in search of a first victory of the Belgian Pro League term, in their bid to build on last season's display in the domestic top flight.

De Kanaries finished the regular season in ninth spot with 40 points from their 30 outings, seeing them begin in the Conference League playoff group on a halved tally of 20 points, four behind Gent with a single domestic European playoff tie place on the line in the second phase of the campaign.

They were unable to take that spot, though, eventually third in the group and ninth overall in Belgium's top flight, having added 13 more points to their tally in 10 second-phase outings, falling six behind Mechelen and 15 behind Gent as a result.

Then following the departure of Thorsten Fink, they turned to the new campaign with the aim of further improvement under the new management of Christian Lattanzio, but De Kanaries were unable to make a winning start last weekend, facing a tough trip to Anderlecht and leaving empty-handed from a 1-0 defeat in agonising fashion, as Mario Stroeykens snatched all three points for the hosts with the only goal of the game in the 92nd minute.

Left wounded by that defeat but with positives to take from an encouraging away display, Sint-Truiden will now look to put their first points on the board on Saturday before visiting Royal Antwerp next week.

Their visitors also head into the contest in search of a first victory on Saturday, in their bid for a much-improved campaign after struggling last term.

A 13th-placed finish in the 2023-24 regular season saw Charleroi drop into the relegation playoff group for the second phase of the campaign, but they were, at least, able to take the only guaranteed survival spot in that group with a pleasing end.

Indeed, their safety was mathematically certain after four of the six games in the group, having gone on to pick up five victories and one draw to end on 45 points, 14 points clear of the promotion/relegation playoff place and 15 above the automatic drop zone.

Now setting out to enjoy a stronger campaign and avoid the threat of relegation, Rik De Mil's side began at home to Royal Antwerp on Sunday but failed to get off the mark, falling to a 1-0 defeat at the Stade du Pays de Charleroi having failed to find a leveller after Vincent Janssen put their visitors ahead inside 10 minutes.

Charleroi will now travel to the Daio Wasabi Stayen Stadium on Saturday in search of a victory to get up and running and avoid immediately finding themselves at the bottom end of the table again in the coming weeks.

Sint-Truiden Belgian Pro League form:

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