Belgium round-up: Genk crowned champions

KRC Genk were crowned Belgian first division champions for the second time in their history this afternoon despite being held to goalless draw by lowly KVC Westerlo.

Favour needed
Genk's failure to win at Westerlo became academic with the news that K. Sint Truidense VV had overwhelmed their nearest title-challengers Club Brugge KV 5-3. With one game left to play, Genk, who won the title back in 1999, now have an unassailable four-point lead at the top of the table.

Close call
But they had to endure a nervous 90 minutes in the Kuipje stadium before learning of their victory. Genk were almost punished for missing a host of opportunities early on, as Jef Delen's shot on the hour mark struck the outside of the visitors' post.

'We have the title'
After the game, Genk's general manager, Paul Heylen, said: "The entire year has been just fantastic. Today we played less well, but the important thing is that we have the title. And we got it with playing strong, attacking football. The fans are very happy. And I think the entire country will not begrudge us the title. I say we deserve it."

Great fightback
Brugge got off to the perfect start in their match against Sint Truidense when Andrés Mendoza fired them in front after only five minutes. But Désiré M'bonabucya levelled the scores with a header after 16 minutes and then broke away in the 52nd minute to put the home side in front.

De Cock error
Brugge equalised a minute later through Sandy Martens, but were thrown on to the back foot again in the 57th minute when Olivier de Cock gifted the ball to Danny Boffin, who made no mistake from close range. A Timmy Simons penalty two minutes later saw the sides draw level again after Gert Verheyen had been brought down in the box, but late goals from Marcos Pereira (71 minutes) and Claude Kalisa (80) left Brugge's title challenge in tatters.

European football
Third-placed RSC Anderlecht won 1-0 at Sporting Lokeren St-Niklaas Waaslan thanks to a Sherjill MacDonald header to secure a place in next season's UEFA Cup.

Standard fall
R. Standard de Liège's faint hopes of UEFA Cup football next season disappeared after they fell to a 1-0 defeat at KAA Gent after Alexandros Kaklamanos scored the only goal of the game. Elsewhere, R. Excelsior Mouscron overcame K. Lierse SK 2-0, while R. Antwerp FC fell 3-2 to KFC Germinal Beerschot Antwerpen.

No surprise
The league's two relegated sides both lost - KSC Eendracht Aalst going down 4-3 at RWD Molenbeek and KSK Beveren slumping to a 3-0 home defeat by RAA Louviéroise.