Group A duo aim to open up in Brussels

A first Group A goal could launch FC Timişoara into contention for a UEFA Europa League Round of 32 place, while RSC Anderlecht are bidding to improve on a 0-0 draw in the sides' meeting in Romania on Matchday 3.

Previous meetings
• The sides had not met prior to Matchday 3, nor had Timişoara – or indeed FC Politehnica Timişoara – met Belgian opponents before. Anderlecht's previous seven home games against Romanian clubs have netted them six wins and a draw, with 12 goals scored and just two conceded.

Match background
• Anderlecht have won only one of their last five European home games, a 5-0 success against Sivasspor in this season's UEFA Champions League third qualifying round. That five-game run also included three defeats and a draw.

• Timişoara are yet to win an away game in Europe, with their most recent three attempts ending in draws following their maiden UEFA club competition away fixture, a 1-0 loss at FK Partizan on 2 October 2008.

• Timişoara go into the game as one of three sides who have yet to score since the start of the group stage, along with PFC Levski Sofia and FC Steaua Bucureşti.

• The Romanian side start the match third in Group A following the decision of UEFA's Control and Disciplinary Body to deduct NK Dinamo Zagreb three points after serious crowd disturbances at the Croatian side's game at FC Timişoara on 1 October.

Team facts
• Timişoara coach Ioan Ovidiu Sabău played in both legs for FC Dinamo 1948 Bucureşti against Anderlecht in the semi-final of the 1989/90 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. The Belgian side won 1-0 home and away, but lost 2-0 to UC Sampdoria in the Gothenburg final.

• Capped 52 times by Romanian, former midfielder Sabău is in his first season as Timişoara coach. As a player, he won Romanian titles with Dinamo and FC Rapid Bucureşti and played abroad with Feyenoord (winning two Dutch Cups), Brescia Calcio and AC Reggiana.

• Anderlecht coach Ariël Jacobs knows Timişoara's Daré Nibombé well, having coached the Togolese defender at RAA Louviéroise in the 2002/03 season, when the club won the Belgian Cup, their only major domestic honour. Nibombé would go on to spend five more years in Belgium with RAEC Mons.

• Jacobs extended his contract by two years until summer 2012 on Friday 30 October. The 56-year-old, who stepped up from an assistant role to replace of Franky Vercauteren in November 2007, said: "I'm very honoured that the club appreciates my work. I hope to continue meeting the high expectations."

• SL Benfica are the only side playing in the UEFA Europa League group stage who have contested more games in Europe than Anderlecht. This will be Anderlecht's 312th UEFA club competition contest, while Benfica are preparing for their 313th.

• Anderlecht are two goals short of their 500th in UEFA club competition, but are also two shy of conceding their 400th.

• Anderlecht host Dinamo Zagreb on Matchday 5, with Timişoara at home to AFC Ajax on the same day, 2 December.