Ghent and Antwerp play the most attractive match on paper. Gent has to win to keep its place in the top six. Antwerp stands firmly there and descends with great confidence to the Ghelamco Arena.
Gent :
AA Ghent is currently experiencing a gray and changeable season. With the appointment of a new trainer, it wants to take the step towards a stable (sub) topper. It has already invested a lot of money in its youth training, but it does not reap enough benefits. And so the youth work must be optimized. Something that the Buffalo’s are currently working hard on. ‘We want to take steps with the youth, because in the past three to four years we have put a lot of financial resources into trainers, guidance and entourage’, says manager Michel Louwagie.
On the previous day, Ghent had to visit Anderlecht. Already after four minutes, former Buffalo Sven Kums scored the 1-0. Birger Verstraete made it even more difficult for his team to continue on Mohamed Dauda and, after intervention by the VAR, to take red. Not that Anderlecht was so much better afterwards, it even lurked on the counter rather than looking for the second goal. Ghent used a lot of energy and Anderlecht could benefit from that.
Giorgi Chakvetadze is still only nineteen, but this season played twenty games at AA Gent. Good for four goals and as many assists. Chakvetadze is also getting more and more involved with the national team from Georgia. The promising midfielder made his fifth interland goal on Monday. With these achievements he has aroused the interest of some top teams such as Bayern, Tottenham and Barcelona.
Antwerp:
Royal Antwerp is on a fantastic march on the field and in the stands. The board wants to thoroughly renovate the Bosuil and the plans are gradually becoming clear. Ultimately, the Bosuil stadium should have a capacity of 23,000 or even 27,000 spectators. The exact figures are not yet fixed. Currently there is room for 16,000 people. In addition, they also do sportingly excellent with a third place halfway through the regular competition.
Antwerp received a visit to Ostland for the international break. And Antwerp has held the three points on the Bosuil. It won with 2-0 from Ostend and can thank Dieumerci Mbokani for his two goals. Ostend, which played a half with ten, was strong, but hardly appeared in the play.
The Portuguese striker Ivo Rodrigues sees that there are possibilities. “The top clubs are not that strong here, I think. Not like in Portugal. When we went to visit there with a small team, we did not hit a ball. There is more balance here, “he says. ‘Perhaps the top clubs have a bit more quality, but the difference is not so great that we can not win from them. In the group we live with sufficient quality for a second or third place. Our supporters deserve that too. ‘
PREDICTION: Gent to win @ 2.02
