The rest of the statistics do not make you dizzy since, logically, Standard and Beerschot are the two teams who “shine” the least in front of goal and pose the least danger (see infographic). Liégeois and Antwerp hit little on goal, cross little, and hardly touch the ball in the opposing rectangle. In short, for the avalanche of goals, it’s not guaranteed, and Thibaud Verlinden, in the interview published this week, already warned: “I especially wonder who will want the ball (laughs).”
Ivan Leko remodeled Standard to make it a hyper-efficient team. Dirk Kuyt, for several weeks, has followed the same path, as the Croatian coach said this Friday at a press conference: “Beerschot played total football, but after eight games they changed their approach.” Result: a more efficient game and, apparently, a series of six matches without defeat at home, in all competitions (4 wins and 2 draws).
Among the best teams…penalty takers
And as Standard struggles to win on the road (only one success, at Dender, mid-September), Leko knows how difficult the task will be. “They beat Anderlecht (2-1)shared against Ghent (0-0) et le Club Bruges (2-2) in recent weeks“, listed the Croatian coach, as if to remind his players of the dangers that will await them in an Olympic stadium where the Rouches have won in the last two matches.
More generally, Standard has always won against Beerschot, in its current formula, since 2020. In the first leg, at the end of August, it won 1-0. It was a match with more than ten shots on goal for each of the two teams, an exception which reminds us that anything is possible.
It was Soufiane Benjdida who scored the success, following a penalty, an exercise that both teams have mastered well, since Standard is the team that takes the most penalties (5), with Genk, while Beerschot is the fourth team of its kind (3 penalties). What if this Saturday’s match was decided in a set phase?
