KAS Eupen started the game in a 4-2-3-1 formation with Boris Lambert and Jan Gorenc in central defense, Yentl Van Genechten and Pattynama on the flanks, and Amadou Keita and Brandon Baiye in defensive midfield. The attacking midfield featured Nathan Bitumazala, Renaud Emond, and Isaac Nuhu, with Regan Charles-Cook leading the line. Goalkeeper Julian Renner started in place of the injured Manaf Nurudeen.

In the 7th minute, Jan Gorenc was injured and replaced by Rune Paeshuyse.

First Half: Goals by Charles-Cook, Lambert, and Bitumazala

KAS Eupen took control from the beginning, dominating both the game and the opponent. They won most of the duels, though the final pass in their build-up play was initially lacking. Isaac Nuhu and Renaud Emond had chances but couldn’t convert them.

This changed around the half-hour mark, as Eupen’s superiority became more pronounced under the influence of a strong Nathan Bitumazala.

The logical outcome followed: in the 34th minute, Regan Charles-Cook scored the opening goal after Isaac Nuhu’s assist, with a precise shot into the bottom left corner from mid-range.

In the 35th minute, Noah Solheid was shown a red card for a professional foul on Nathan Bitumazala. Following the resulting free kick, Shayne Pattynama took a promising shot, but Seraing’s goalkeeper Lucas Margueron saved it for a corner. Shortly after Nathan Bitumazala was also denied by the opposing goalkeeper in a direct duel, another Eupen attack ensued. A beautiful team move was finished by Boris Lambert in the 40th minute with a shot from the right side to make it 2:0. Just two minutes later, Isaac Nuhu completed a quick Eupen attack, scoring to bring the halftime score to 3:0.

Second Half: Nuhu’s Second Goal and Eight Substitutions

After the break, Teddy Alloh came on for Shayne Pattynama. Despite being a man down, Seraing started the second half more offensively and scored in the 51st minute, immediately following an Eupen attack, to make it 3:1.

Seraing then retreated again, and KAS Eupen continued their attacks. Isaac Nuhu scored his second goal in the 59th minute with a well-placed shot from the box, bringing the score to 4:1. Eupen remained dominant, creating chances minute after minute, but couldn’t convert them.

In the 76th minute, seven substitutions were made, including the introduction of Alfred Finnbogason. His goal in the 80th minute was disallowed for offside. The substitutes produced some good moments and used the playing time to integrate into the team. Despite further chances, no more goals were scored, and the game ended with a well-deserved 4:1 victory for KAS Eupen.

Conclusion: In preparation for the new season, KAS Eupen made further progress in their test match against Seraing. The clear victory and four goals scored will undoubtedly boost the players’ confidence. However, the result of 4:1 should not be overestimated, given the numerical advantage Eupen enjoyed for 55 minutes.

Mersad Selimbegović: “After a week in which my players had to process a lot of input, I was overall satisfied with my team’s performance. Especially the pressing and counter-pressing were already very good, but we need to play faster when in possession and convert more of our many chances into goals. It’s a pity we played with a numerical advantage for so long, as it wasn’t a real test.”