2–1 Full time Sunday 1 November

Our pick2–1Exact score

Cercle Brugge under pressure as Antwerp return to Jan Breydel

Cercle Brugge are bottom of the Jupiler Pro League after a run of defeats, and their latest meeting with Antwerp ended in a 4-0 loss. They need a response at Jan Breydel, though PreviaXI’s model points to a narrow home win.

📍 Jan Breydel Stadion

Preview written: Sat 31 Oct 00:35

All Matchday 10 matches Full head-to-head

Match report

Cercle Brugge beat Antwerp 2-1 after all three goals came in the second half. T. Akinsola opened the scoring in the 48th minute, assisted by S. Ngoura, and the pair combined again in the 61st minute to make it 2-0. Antwerp reduced the deficit in the 81st minute through M. Fofana, with B. Deuff providing the assist, but Cercle Brugge held on for the win. There were no red cards.

Antwerp had more possession, 59% to 41%, and led the total-shots count 15-10. However, Cercle Brugge recorded five shots on target to Antwerp’s four. Antwerp’s xG was 2.36, compared with 0.71 for the home side. Tunde Akinsola of Cercle Brugge was the top-rated player, with a rating of 8.7. The 2-1 result matched the pre-match model’s predicted score; it assigned Cercle Brugge a 50% win chance, a 23% draw chance and Antwerp a 27% win chance.

Goals

48'T. Akinsola · S. Ngoura · Cercle Brugge
61'T. Akinsola · S. Ngoura · Cercle Brugge
81'M. Fofana · B. Deuff · Antwerp

Cards

30'C. Mejia · Antwerp
37'S. Porozo · Antwerp
45+2'M. Compper · Antwerp
67'A. Cortes · Antwerp
79'Y. Tsunashima · Antwerp
90+8'T. Nozawa · Antwerp

Match stats

Cercle BruggeAntwerp

41%Possession59%

10Shots15

5Shots on target4

0.71Expected goals (xG)2.36

4Corners3

8Fouls14

2Saves3

⭐ Top-rated player: Tunde Akinsola (Cercle Brugge) 8.7

Ratings and statistics: API-Football.

Confirmed lineups

Cercle Brugge · 4-2-3-1

1Gaëtan CouckeG
8Erick NunesD
2Ibrahim DiakitéD
33Royer CaicedoD
24Geoffrey KondoD
18Luke Le RouxM
28Hannes Van Der BruggenM
30Tunde AkinsolaM
20Abdoulie MannehM
45Tayo AdaramolaM
9Steve NgouraF

Antwerp · 4-2-3-1

41Taishi Brandon NozawaG
17Semm RendersD
20Rein Van HeldenD
3Álvaro CortésD
5Daam FoulonD
6Bahmed DeuffM
48Arthur VermeerenM
80Carlos MejiaM
24Thibo SomersM
7Ibrahim SalahM
33Snayder PorozoF

Match facts

Recent form

Cercle BruggeLDLLL

AntwerpLLLLW

Last 5 league games, latest on the right

Goals per game

·	Scored	Conceded
Cercle Brugge	1.2	2.3
Antwerp	1.7	2.2

League position

Pos	Team	P	GD	Pts
11	Antwerp	9	-5	10
18	Cercle Brugge	9	-10	3

Last meetings

2026Cercle Brugge0-4Antwerp
2025Antwerp1-1Cercle Brugge
2025Cercle Brugge0-0Antwerp
2024Antwerp3-0Cercle Brugge
2024Antwerp1-2Cercle Brugge

PreviaXI model

Cercle Brugge50%Draw23%Antwerp27%

Model confidence: Medium

Predicted score: 2-1
Expected goals (model): 1.89 – 1.32
Double chance: 12 · 77%1X 73% · X2 50%
Over 2.5 goals: 62%Over 1.5: 83% · Over 3.5: 40%
Both teams score: 63%
Clean sheet: 27% – 15%Cercle Brugge–Antwerp
Half-time result: 1 · 39%X 37% · 2 24%
Half-time / full-time: 1/1 · 31%X/1 16% · 2/2 15%
Expected corners: 10.55.8 – 4.7 · Over 9.5: 60%
Expected cards: 4.01.8 – 2.2 · Over 3.5: 58%
Most likely scores: 1-110%
2-110%
1-07%
2-07%
1-27%

Statistical model based on expected goals (xG), results and match statistics from the last two seasons. For information only. How our model works →

A response needed at Jan Breydel

Cercle Brugge’s most recent meeting with Antwerp was a chastening one: they lost 4-0 at home on January 31. The sides meet again at Jan Breydel Stadion on Sunday, with pressure mounting on Cercle after a difficult start to the Jupiler Pro League season.

Cercle are 18th of 18 with three points from nine matches, while Antwerp sit 11th on 10 points. The gap is significant, but Antwerp’s own recent league results have hardly been convincing. For Cercle, the immediate task is to arrest a sequence of defeats and turn home advantage into something tangible: they have yet to win at home this season.

Defeats define Cercle’s start

Cercle have lost six of their nine league games and drawn the other three. Their latest five-match run includes four defeats and a draw, with 14 goals conceded and six scored. Across the campaign, they have let in 21 goals and have not kept a clean sheet.

Antwerp have also endured a rough spell. They have five defeats in nine matches and lost four of their last five, though that run began with a win. Their recent five games brought five goals for and 11 against. They have scored 15 times overall, more than Cercle’s 11, but have conceded 20.

Antwerp’s recent advantage

The 4-0 result in January is the clearest recent meeting between the teams. Their previous encounter, in October 2025, ended 1-1, while two of the other last five meetings were goalless draws. Antwerp have won two of those five, with Cercle taking one victory.

That history offers Cercle some reason to believe a closer contest is possible, but the latest meeting remains a warning of the damage Antwerp can inflict.

No absences listed

Neither side has any listed absences, leaving the focus on whether Cercle can find a more secure defensive performance and make better use of their opportunities.

Late goals could matter

Both teams have been vulnerable late: Cercle have conceded seven of their 21 league goals in the 76th to 90th minutes, while Antwerp have let in seven of their 20 in that period. Antwerp have also scored five of their 15 league goals late on.

Cercle’s attack has produced 11 goals this season, including four between minutes 16 and 30. They will need to make those spells count while avoiding another late collapse.

Our prediction

Cercle’s poor run and the January defeat make this a test of character, but the home side’s attacking output gives them a route to a response. PreviaXI’s model favours Cercle, pointing to their ability to create more chances at Jan Breydel despite Antwerp’s recent head-to-head edge.

Cercle Brugge 2-1 Antwerp

⚑ Report a mistake Editorial policy

Jupiler Pro League table All previews that day