Big bonus for Belgian Cup success

An R. Standard de Liège victory on Wednesday could send the winner of tonight's Belgian Cup semi-final between R. Excelsior Mouscron and R. Charleroi SC into Europe.

Top two finish
With Standard looking odds-on to finish in the top two in the Belgian First Division and qualify for the UEFA Champions League, Mouscron or Charleroi could find themselves fast-tracked into the UEFA Cup without kicking a ball in the final if they prevail tonight.

Advantage Mouscron
Mouscron lead 1-0 from the first leg in Charleroi, but visiting coach Jacky Mathijssen is not too downhearted. "We have to win to reach the final," he said. "This is not a time to be calculating - we are going for the victory. Our position is clear." Not that Mouscron's Marcin Żewłakow, who scored the tie's only goal so far, sounds too stressed. "We aren't thinking about European football yet, but playing the final would be a bonus and give our season extra colour," said the striker.

Standard upset
On Wednesday, KSV Waregem will strive to add glitter to a sparkling debut campaign in the top flight. They surprised Standard by winning 2-1 in Liege, but Dominique D'Onofrio's men are hungry for a first cup triumph since 1992/93 - not to mention a first Belgian double. Standard, though, are feeling the consequences of the first leg, when captain Sérgio Conceição was red-carded for spitting and then made matters worse by pushing his shirt into the face of the referee. He has been suspended ever since, with a severe sentence expected from the Belgian Football Association.