Cercle Brugge vs Zulte-Waregem Prediction, Preview and Stats

Belgium flag 2025/2026 Pro League, Belgium
Jan Breydelstadion Fri, 1 May - 6:45 PM
Pro League
Cercle Brugge CBR
2 Winner 3
Zulte-Waregem ZUL
Full Time Fri, 1 May 6:45 PM
Round 5 Relegation Round
Dante Vanzeir - 65'
Ibrahima Diaby - 21'
Goal
|
Goal
Joseph Okopu - 88'
Marley Ake - 67'
Jeppe Erenbjerg - 57'

CONTEXT

Zulte-Waregem delivered a stunning comeback to edge Cercle Brugge 3-2 in a gripping Belgian Pro League clash. The home side, viewed as the stronger team, took a 1-0 halftime lead and controlled 47% of possession, yet Zulte-Waregem's 53% share proved decisive in the second half. Trailing at the break, the visitors netted three goals to overturn the deficit, showcasing clinical finishing and defensive resolve. No red cards disrupted play, allowing the game to flow naturally without major interruptions. Cercle Brugge pushed hard but couldn't recover from the late surge. This result underscores Zulte-Waregem's ability to capitalize on momentum shifts, turning pre-match perceptions on their head in a match defined by second-half dominance.

TL;DR

  • Structural deviation: Zulte-Waregem experienced a minimal 5.3% structural deviation favoring their victory.
  • Efficiency shift: Efficiency shift remained in line with overall expectations.
  • xG alignment: xG alignment could not be determined due to unavailable data.
  • Market alignment: The outcome fully aligned with pre-match market indications.
  • xG expectations: xG expectations were unassessable without relevant data.
  • Event impact: No second-half adjustments or key events significantly altered the match flow.
  • Red card distortion: Absence of red cards meant zero distortion to the game's structure.
No standings statistics available.
No head-to-head records found.
0.5+ goals: 85%
1.5+ goals: 70%
2.5+ goals: 50%
3.5+ goals: 25%
Confidence: High (≥8 matches)

Quality vs Volume

Home: xG 1.8, Shots 12, xG/Shot 0.15
Away: xG 1.5, Shots 14, xG/Shot 0.11

Open Play vs Set Play

Open Play: 65%
Set Play: 35%

Expected Points

TeamxPts
Home1.8
Away1.2
ℹ️ Methodology: Expected Goals (xG) measures shot quality

Match referee

A. Letellier

25 matches in sample
Avg. cards 0.12
Fouls / match 0.52
Yellow cards / match 0.12
Red cards / match 0
Penalties / match 0

Other match officials

C. Battiston

2nd Assistant

A. De Beuckelaer

4th Official

N. Maszowez

1st Assistant

Cercle Brugge L. Friis
L. Friis
VS
Zulte-Waregem S. Colpaert
S. Colpaert
1.32
Avg Points / Game (Last 100 Matches)
1.09
2.17 i
Last 6 Opponents
Dender Rank: 60 W
Dender Rank: 61 W
La Louvière Rank: 67 W
Zulte-Waregem Rank: 68 D
Anderlecht Rank: 73 W
La Louvière Rank: 64 L
Avg Points / Game (Last 6 Matches)
2.17 i
Last 6 Opponents
La Louvière Rank: 64 W
La Louvière Rank: 65 W
Dender Rank: 61 W
Cercle Brugge Rank: 69 D
Sporting Charleroi Rank: 70 W
Gent Rank: 72 L
12
Head to Head (Wins - Draws - Losses)
12 - 9 - 14
14

Win Probabilities

Live Win Probability (90 Min)
Home Cercle Brugge
0.19%
Draw
5.09%
Away Zulte-Waregem
94.72%

Movement

Changes since opening
Cercle Brugge
0%
Draw
-0.56%
Zulte-Waregem
+0.56%

Team Power Ranking

i
What is Power Ranking?
Power ranking is SportMonks' model-based team strength indicator. Historical input capped to 2 seasons.
68.81
57.83
0 (Weakest) 100 (Strongest)
Metric
Cercle Brugge
Zulte-Waregem
Power Score
68.81
57.83
League Position
15
13
Global Rank
226
247

Form Analysis Opponent-Weighted

Line chart of recent results (points/trend). Friendlies excluded by default. Hover for opponent, result, xG/xGA and power ranking — based on last 6 matches.

–
vs
Cercle Brugge — Opponent-weighted form score
Zulte-Waregem — Opponent-weighted form score
Win (3 pts) Draw (1 pt) Loss (0 pts) Cercle Brugge Zulte-Waregem

Heatmaps Ball coordinates

Attack and defence zones from ball position data. Filters: last 6 matches (overall/home/away), time period, competition.

–
vs

Cercle Brugge

Left / Center / Right —
Opposition half density —
vs season average —

Zulte-Waregem

Left / Center / Right —
Opposition half density —
vs season average —

Possession Efficiency Possession-Adjusted

How effectively each team uses and defends their share of possession. Efficiency adjusted based on team possession percentage

Cercle Brugge ⚠ Proxy
vs
⚠ Proxy Zulte-Waregem
Attacking Efficiency
Higher is better
Attacking Efficiency
41.17
31.23
Defensive Efficiency
Lower is better
Defensive Efficiency
31.23
41.17
Combined Efficiency Index Z-score combining attacking and defensive possession-adjusted efficiency.
Positive = above league average.
Negative = below league average.
Formula: EfficiencyIndex = z(AttackEff) − z(DefenceEff)
-3 0 3
Cercle Brugge +0.94 Efficiency Index
vs
Zulte-Waregem -0.94 Efficiency Index
xG data unavailable for both teams. Values estimated using shots and dangerous attacks (proxy). Confidence: Medium.
Cercle Brugge
Zulte-Waregem
AttackEff = xG ÷ pos
DefenceEff = xGA ÷ (1−pos)

Set Pieces Efficiency Attack & Defence

Set-piece reliance and strength using expected metrics and actual outcomes for each team.

Cercle Brugge ⚠ Proxy
vs
⚠ Proxy Zulte-Waregem
Created Set-piece attacking threat
Cercle Brugge Zulte-Waregem
Set-piece xG Share Share of total expected goals generated from set pieces. Higher = more set-piece reliant in attack.
—
—
Goals per Match Average set-piece goals scored per match.
0.00 0.00
vs Expected (xG) Goals scored minus set-piece xG. Positive = overperforming; Negative = underperforming expectations.
— vs —
Conceded Set-piece defensive exposure
Cercle Brugge Zulte-Waregem
Set-piece xGA Share Share of total expected goals conceded from set pieces. Higher = more exposed to set pieces defensively.
—
—
Conceded per Match Average set-piece goals conceded per match.
0.00 0.00
vs Expected (xGA) Goals conceded minus set-piece xGA. Positive = conceding more than expected (bad); Negative = conceding less than expected (good).
— vs —
xG set-piece data unavailable for both teams. Values estimated using proxy metrics (shots, dangerous attacks). Confidence: Medium.
Cercle Brugge
Zulte-Waregem
xG Share = set-piece xG ÷ total xG
vs Expected = goals − set-piece xG

Counter / Transition Attack & Defence

What happens in the 15 seconds immediately after possession changes hands — based on Last 6 matches.

–
Cercle Brugge
vs
Zulte-Waregem
Attack After Winning Possession transition → offence
Cercle Brugge Zulte-Waregem
Goals per Match Average goals scored within 15s of winning the ball per match. ↑ better
—
—
Shots per Match Average shots taken within 15s of winning the ball per match. ↑ better
—
—
Dangerous Attacks Average dangerous attacks launched within 15s of winning possession per match. ↑ better
—
—
Transition Efficiency Index Composite score (0–1) of how efficiently this team attacks within 15s of winning the ball. Higher = more dangerous on transition. Higher = stronger on the counter
Cercle Brugge 0.36
Zulte-Waregem 0.27
Defence After Losing Possession loss → defensive exposure
Cercle Brugge Zulte-Waregem
Goals Conceded Average goals conceded within 15s of losing the ball per match. ↓ better
—
—
Shots Conceded Average shots conceded within 15s of losing the ball per match. ↓ better
—
—
Dangerous Attacks Conceded Average dangerous attacks allowed within 15s of losing possession per match. ↓ better
—
—
Vulnerability Index Composite score (0–1) of how exposed this team is within 15s of losing the ball. Lower = better at preventing transition attacks. Lower = better transition defence
Cercle Brugge 0.06
Zulte-Waregem 0.04
Cercle Brugge
Zulte-Waregem
Window = 15s post-possession change
Index = 0–1 composite score

PRESSURE INDEX

Momentum phases from smoothed minute-by-minute pressure.

  • CBR had peak pressure around 72'.
  • ZUL started the game with stronger pressure.
CBR Pressure ZUL Pressure
⚡
Pressure Index: CBR reached the top pressure at 72' (100.00).

Team Head to Head Last 6 Seasons

Summary of 35 matches between these sides — filtered by competition and venue context.

Cercle Brugge CBR Home
35 matches
Zulte-Waregem ZUL Away
Match Record
12
Wins
14
9
Draws
9
14
Losses
12
Goals
56
Goals Scored
66
66
Goals Conceded
56
-10
Goal Difference
+10

Data last updated: 2026-05-02T00:04:51+00:00

STARTING XI

Match Formation 3-5-2
Match Formation 3-4-1-2
Pitch
W. Stellion Lisboa Oliveira
Brazil
1 W. Stellion Lisboa Oliveira
E. Kakou
5 E. Kakou
G. Kondo
France
24 G. Kondo
V. Konaté
Ivory Coast
12 V. Konaté
G. Magnée
Substitution
Belgium
15 G. Magnée
M. Diaby
Substitution
Guinea
19 M. Diaby
P. Gerkens
Belgium
18 P. Gerkens
E. Diop
Substitution
France
37 E. Diop
F. Jacinto Nazinho
Portugal
20 F. Jacinto Nazinho
D. Vanzeir
Substitution
Belgium
13 D. Vanzeir
S. Ngoura
Substitution
France
9 S. Ngoura
Pitch
B. Gabriel
Belgium
13 B. Gabriel
B. De Jaegere
45 B. De Jaegere
J. Kiilerich
Denmark
5 J. Kiilerich
L. Lemoine
Belgium
4 L. Lemoine
M. Ake
Substitution
France
39 M. Ake
E. Lofolomo
Substitution
Germany
6 E. Lofolomo
D. Asare
Belgium
40 D. Asare
W. Paugain
Substitution
France
12 W. Paugain
J. Erenbjerg
Substitution
Denmark
10 J. Erenbjerg
J. Amankwaah Opoku
22 J. Amankwaah Opoku
A. Ementa
Substitution
Denmark
18 A. Ementa

General Information

Date & Time :
May 01, 2026, 06:45 PM
Competition :
2025/2026 Pro League, Belgium · Round 5 · Relegation Round
Stadium :
Jan Breydelstadion
Capacity :
29975
Pitch Surface :
Grass
Weather :
☀️ 12°C, Fair
Referees :
Anthony Letellier
Christophe Battiston
Arne De Beuckelaer
Nicolas Maszowez

Statistics

Possession
CBR
48%
ZUL
52%

Top Statistics

2 Goals 3
2 Big Chances Created 2
6 Shots 5
47 Dangerous attacks 51
47 Possession 53
6 Corners 7
12 Free kicks 13
0 Yellow Cards 1

Match Overview

9 Successful Dribbles 6
15 Throwins 21
13 Dribble Attempts 24
2 Goal Kicks 7
69 Successful Dribbles Percentage 25
5 Substitutions 5
1 Hit Woodwork 0
2 Injuries 1
8 Goal Attempts 12
54 Ball Safe 66
1 Assists 0

Attacking

81 Attacks 76
1 Big Chances Missed 2

Possession

79 Successful Passes Percentage 80
380 Passes 431
20 Successful Long Passes 32
11 Key Passes 9
43 Successful Long Passes Percentage 46
300 Successful Passes 344
46 Long Passes 69

Defensive

57 Duels Won 50
23 Tackles 15
4 Saves 5
8 Interceptions 4

Build-up

19 Total Crosses 10
4 Accurate Crosses 2

Discipline

13 Fouls 12
2 Offsides 0

Lineup

Referee : Anthony Letellier

Starting XI ▼

1
Warleson
Warleson Goalkeeper
6.94
5
Emmanuel Kakou
Emmanuel Kakou Defender
6.84
12
Valy Konaté
Valy Konaté Defender
6.98
24
Geoffrey Kondo
Geoffrey Kondo Defender
7.04
15
Gary Magnée
Gary Magnée Midfielder
7.17
2
Ibrahim Diakité
Ibrahim Diakité
Defender77'
6.57
18
Pieter Gerkens
Pieter Gerkens Midfielder
6.89
19
Ibrahima Diaby
Ibrahima Diaby Midfielder
6.68
27
Nils De Wilde
Nils De Wilde
Defender77'
6.51
20
Nazinho
Nazinho Midfielder
7.12
37
Edan Diop
Edan Diop Midfielder
7.02
17
Oluwaseun Adewumi
Oluwaseun Adewumi
Attacker27'
6.63
9
Steve Ngoura
Steve Ngoura Attacker
6.75
10
Oumar Diakité
Oumar Diakité
Attacker58'
6.83
13
Dante Vanzeir
Dante Vanzeir Attacker
6.41
41
Krys Kouassi
Krys Kouassi
Attacker77'
6.65
Referee : Anthony Letellier

Starting XI ▼

13
Brent Gabriel
Brent Gabriel Goalkeeper
6.93
4
Laurent Lemoine
Laurent Lemoine Defender
6.89
5
Jakob Kiilerich
Jakob Kiilerich Defender
6.73
45
Benoit De Jaegere
Benoit De Jaegere Defender
6.53
6
Enrique Lofolomo
Enrique Lofolomo Midfielder
6.64
8
Thomas Claes
Thomas Claes
Midfielder59'
6.9
12
Wilguens Paugain
Wilguens Paugain Midfielder
6.77
31
Lukas Willen
Lukas Willen
Defender88'
6.68
39
Marley Ake
Marley Ake Midfielder
6.8
55
Yannick Cappelle
Yannick Cappelle
Defender70'
6.78
40
Dirk Asare
Dirk Asare Midfielder
6.9
10
Jeppe Erenbjerg
Jeppe Erenbjerg Attacker
7.1
36
Serxho Ujka
Serxho Ujka
Midfielder87'
6.74
18
Anosike Ementa
Anosike Ementa Attacker
7.27
20
Tobias Hedl
Tobias Hedl
Attacker70'
6.45
22
Joseph Okopu
Joseph Okopu Attacker
6.96

Events

2ND-HALF
88'
Event
Joseph Okopu
Left foot shot / 5th Goal
88'
Event
Lukas Willen → Wilguens Paugain
10th Substitution
87'
Event
Serxho Ujka → Jeppe Erenbjerg
9th Substitution
Event
Ibrahim Diakité → Gary Magnée
6th Substitution
77'
Event
Krys Kouassi → Dante Vanzeir
7th Substitution
77'
Event
Nils De Wilde → Ibrahima Diaby
8th Substitution
77'
70'
Event
Yannick Cappelle → Marley Ake
4th Substitution
70'
Event
Tobias Hedl → Anosike Ementa
5th Substitution
67'
Event
Marley Ake
Right foot shot / 4th Goal
Event
Dante Vanzeir
Right foot shot / 3rd Goal
65'
59'
Event
Thomas Claes → Enrique Lofolomo
3rd Substitution
Event
Oumar Diakité → Steve Ngoura
2nd Substitution
58'
57'
Event
Jeppe Erenbjerg
Left foot shot / 2nd Goal
1ST-HALF
43'
Event
Anosike Ementa
Persistent fouling / 1st Yellowcard
Event
Oluwaseun Adewumi → Edan Diop
1st Substitution
27'
Event
Ibrahima Diaby
Left foot shot / 1st Goal
21'

Match Commentary

90
Attempt Attempt
Joseph Opoku takes a right-footed shot, but it is blocked.
90
Attempt Attempt
Oumar Diakite's left-footed shot is saved.
90
Update Update
Krys Kouassi's header is blocked.
90
Update Update
Krys Kouassi's header is blocked.
88
Attempt Attempt
Tobias Hedl takes a right-footed shot, but it is blocked.
88
Update Update
Lukas Willen comes on for Wilguens Paugain.
87
Update Update
Serxho Ujka comes on for Jeppe Erenbjerg.
85
Attempt Attempt
Joseph Opoku scores with a left-footed shot.
81
Attempt Attempt
Emmanuel Kakou takes a right-footed shot, but it is blocked.
77
Update Update
Nils De Wilde comes on for Ibrahima Diaby.
77
Update Update
Krys Kouassi replaces Dante Vanzeir.
76
Attempt Attempt
Ibrahima Diaby's left-footed shot is blocked.
76
Attempt Attempt
Oumar Diakite's left-footed shot is saved.
75
Attempt Attempt
Oluwaseun Adewumi takes a left-footed shot but misses.
70
Update Update
Tobias Hedl is on, and Anosike Ementa is off.
70
Substitution Substitution
Yannick Cappelle is substituted for Marley Ake.
69
Attempt Attempt
Oumar Diakite's left-footed shot is blocked.
69
Attempt Attempt
Wilguens Paugain takes a right-footed shot, but it is saved.
67
Attempt Attempt
Marley Ake takes a shot with his right foot and scores.
65
Update Update
Goal! Dante Vanzeir scores, making it 2-1.
65
Attempt Attempt
Dante Vanzeir takes a shot with his right foot and scores.
60
Attempt Attempt
Oumar Diakite takes a right-footed shot, but it's saved.
59
Substitution Substitution
Thomas Claes is substituted for Enrique Lofolomo.
58
Update Update
Oumar Diakite replaces Steve Ngoura.
57
Attempt Attempt
Jeppe Erenbjerg scores with a left-footed shot.
57
Update Update
Goal! Jeppe Erenbjerg scores, making it 1-1.
56
Attempt Attempt
Joseph Opoku's left-footed shot is blocked.
56
Attempt Attempt
Jakob Kiilerich's header is saved.
51
Attempt Attempt
Joseph Opoku takes a right-footed shot, but it is blocked.
43
Yellow Card Yellow Card Important
Yellow card shown to Anosike Ementa.
36
Attempt Attempt
Jeppe Erenbjerg's right-footed shot is blocked.
30
Attempt Attempt
Steve Ngoura takes a left-footed shot but misses.
28
Attempt Attempt
Jeppe Erenbjerg takes a left-footed shot but misses.
27
Update Update
Oluwaseun Adewumi comes on for Edan Diop.
21
Attempt Attempt
Edan Diop's right-footed shot is saved.
21
Attempt Attempt
Ibrahima Diaby takes a left-footed shot and scores.
20
Attempt Attempt
Steve Ngoura takes a right-footed shot but misses.
18
Attempt Attempt
Pieter Gerkens takes a right-footed shot but misses.
16
Attempt Attempt
Joseph Opoku takes a right-footed shot, but it's saved.
13
Attempt Attempt
Laurent Lemoine attempts a header but misses the shot.
12
Attempt Attempt
Marley Ake takes a right-footed shot, but it is saved.
4
Attempt Attempt
Ibrahima Diaby takes a right-footed shot but misses.
2
Attempt Attempt
Ibrahima Diaby takes a right-footed shot, but it's saved.

CONCLUSION

Zulte-Waregem's 3-2 triumph over stronger favorites Cercle Brugge exemplifies the drama of football upsets. Leading 1-0 at halftime, Cercle faltered as Zulte exploited possession edges and second-half opportunities with ruthless efficiency. Minimal deviations and no disciplinary disruptions kept the focus on pure competition. This victory boosts Zulte's morale while prompting Cercle to refine their game management. In a league where momentum reigns supreme, such reversals remind teams that resilience often trumps favoritism, setting the stage for intriguing future encounters.

Cercle Brugge vs Zulte-Waregem preview with tactical analysis, xG context, lineup signals, and data-backed betting insights for faster decisions.

Use this page as a quick-read snapshot first, then continue to deep stats and methodology references below.

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