Standard – Union Saint-Gilloise: A Goalless Stalemate

Standard – Union Saint-Gilloise: A Goalless Stalemate

This Friday night, Standard de Liège welcomed Union Saint-Gilloise for the opening of the eighth round of the Pro League, the Belgian football championship. Remaining undefeated at home, the Liège club played without Bates and Ngoy, who were preserved due to uncertainty about their conditions. Meanwhile, Union's coach, Sébastien Pocognoli, returned to a team he had played for during several seasons.

First Half Highlights

The evening presented a common struggle for both teams: scoring goals. The first half depicted this perfectly. After a sleepy start, the players finally began to wake up. A shot from Kuavita near the penalty spot narrowly missed, while a double attempt from Ivanovic failed to convert. Zeqiri's attempt posed a danger as well. Just as the 44th minute approached, Fuseini received an excellent ball in the center but his slightly weak shot was saved by Epolo.

Second Half Developments

The second half returned to a modest rhythm, but Moris faced threats from a header by Eckert, his former teammate, and a distant free-kick from Bulat. Ten minutes before the end, Epolo experienced a significant scare when he cleared the ball, hitting Fuseini. For a moment, anxiety filled the air in Sclessin as the ball narrowly escaped the goal.

Lastly, Burgess could have faced a red card early in the second half for pulling Benjdida's shirt when he was clear towards the Union goal. Ultimately, the match concluded without a victor, marking a fourth draw for Pocognoli's side this season. In the general standings, Standard temporarily holds the fifth spot with twelve points, while Union stands in eleventh with ten units.