Club Brugge vs Antwerp
1 August 1930hrs
Football – Belgium – Cup
Pick Both teams to score
Bookmaker Paddy Power
Odds: 5/6 odds taken 2000 GMT, Thursday 30 July
Six months after the semi-finals, the Belgian Cup reaches it’s conclusion on Saturday as champions Club Brugge look to do the double over a dangerous Antwerp side.
Table of Contents
Club Brugge Preview – Are Brugge set for history and win their first double since 1994?
Club Brugge proved themselves to be far too good in the Belgian First Division, eventually winning the league by 15 points and retaining the title. It was a dominant campaign which seen them concede just 14 goals and lost just the one game in the league. Philippe Clement has done a tremendous job since taking charge last summer as it’s not always easy to come into a team who are at the top and carry that one.
He can now make some history of his own by becoming the first coach to lead a Brugge team to the domestic double since the 1993/94 season.
Brugge have ridden their luck somewhat to reach the final having required penalties to see off Oostende in the last 16 before edging past Zulte-Waregem with a goal in the last minute of the second leg of their semi-final.
There could well be a few new faces on show for the champions but the impressive Hans Vanaken will hope to make his mark from midfield once again. A virtual ever present, he scored 17 goals in all competitions but is yet to get off the mark in this competition.
Antwerp Preview – Can Antwerp spring a surprise and win the cup for just the third time in their history?
There’s no doubting that Antwerp will be underdogs going into this game but they can take confidence from the fact that they are the only team to have beaten Club Brugge this season. The victory – a 2-1 win at home back in November – is an indication of how good this team can be on their day. They may not have been able to keep pace with Brugge over the course of a season but this being a one-off game will give them hope they can spring a surprise.
It would also be a rare trophy for Antwerp who have not been successful in the competition since 1992 which was just the second time they have won it in their long history.
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Like their opponents in Saturday’s final, Antwerp have had some challenges in getting here. They required extra time to see off Lokeren and then penalties to overcome Genk in the following round after a classic 3-3 draw. Antwerp’s semi-final win was also hard-fought as they got the better of Kortrijk 2-1 over the two legs.
The experienced Dieumerci Mbokani was excellent throughout last season and finished joint top scorer with 18 goals. He has also scored five goals in the Belgian Cup.
Club Brugge vs Antwerp Betting Advice
It’s a blockbuster game tomorrow to restart top-flight Belgium football as both teams look to make a bit of history. Traditionally this game would be the final match of the domestic season but this time around it’s the curtain-raiser. And it should be a very competitive contest, as well, with the two league meetings being split and a margin of one goal victory in both those games.
Key Facts – Club Brugge vs Antwerp Betting Tip
- Brugge ended up winning the title by 15 points and a further two ahead of Saturday’s opponents
- Antwerp last won the Belgian Cup in 1992 which was just the second time in their history
- The teams met twice in the league last season with both winning one game apiece
In terms of this game, Club Brugge are rightly favourites but they will not got it all their own way. If Mbokani can pick up where he left off last season he’ll be a huge threat. Five of Antwerp’s six games in this competition have had both teams scoring and they can trouble their opponents here which makes it a good bet again.
