As Belgian teams prepare for the start of the new Pro League season, Anderlecht and Waregem must get themselves ready even earlier as they face off in the Belgian Super Cup a week before the curtain raiser. The fixture is played between the Pro League champions and the winners of the Belgian Cup: Anderlecht comfortably won the league while Waregem beat Oostende in a penalty shootout to claim the Belgian Cup.

STATS

• As they went on to win the Pro League title, Anderlecht managed to win three of their last five games in the championship play-offs while drawing the other two. They win the 10-game league by seven points due to them winning 21 out of the 30 points on offer while Club Brugge only managed 15. They beat Belgian Cup finalists, Oostende, 3-2 in their final game of the season.
• Waregem secured a place in the Europa League group stages through their brilliant cup triumph but they were less successful in the league as they finished bottom of the championship play-offs. They only won one of the 10 games and that win came against Oostende. Their final game of the season ended level as they drew 2-2 with Charleroi.
• After confirming the permanent signing of Łukasz Teodorczyk from Dinamo Kiev earlier in the summer, Anderlecht will be hoping he can pick up where he left off as he spent last season on loan with the club. He’ll be hoping to score his first goal of the season.
• Now enjoying his second spell with the club, Mbaye Leye will be desperate to have another successful year in front of goal for Waregem and he can get this started with a goal in the Super Cup.

HEAD TO HEAD

In the last 15 meetings between the two sides, Waregem have only won on one occasion and this came in one of the four fixtures between them last season. Anderlecht have averaged more than two goals in those games as they have scored 33 while their opponents have managed less than one a game with just 11 goals.

ANDERLECHT NEWS

Anderlecht will be looking to win their 13^th Belgian Super Cup trophy with a win over Waregem which would put them just one behind Club Brugge as the record holders. They will be hoping that their four new permanent signings can help them to victory as Łukasz Teodorczyk, Sven Kums, Pieter Gerkens and Uros Spajic are all available for selection.

Latest matches: RSC Anderlecht

19.07.2017	Club	FCV Dender EH	RSC Anderlecht	1:3	W
07.07.2017	Club	RB Salzburg	RSC Anderlecht	4:1	L
21.05.2017	Firs	RSC Anderlecht	KV Oostende	3:2	W
18.05.2017	Firs	Royal Charleroi SC	RSC Anderlecht	1:3	W
14.05.2017	Firs	Club Brugge	RSC Anderlecht	1:1	D

WAREGEM NEWS

This will be only Waregem’s second appearance in the Belgian Super Cup as the last one came 11 years ago against the same opposition where they lost 3-1. The game was actually played in December as heavy rain caused it to be postponed in July! They have made five signings of their own this summer and they’ll be hoping for those players to have a big impact.

Latest matches: SV Zulte Waregem

18.07.2017	Club	SV Zulte Waregem	SC Amiens	1:3	L
15.07.2017	Club	SV Zulte Waregem	Waasland-Beveren	0:1	L
11.07.2017	Club	Lierse SK	SV Zulte Waregem	0:2	W
08.07.2017	Club	SV Zulte Waregem	KSV Roeselare	7:1	W
27.06.2017	Club	Sporting West Harelbeke	SV Zulte Waregem	0:3	W

SUMMARY

It’s hard to see past Anderlecht for a comfortable win in this game as they have a much stronger squad as well as the experience to perform in the big games. The occasion might startle Waregem and this is where the league champions will be expected to take full advantage. The cup winners will find it hard to break through the Anderlecht defence and it should certainly be the 12-time winners lifting the trophy at the end of 90 minutes.