Lokeren v Metalist background

KSC Lokeren OV will hope that their tidy pattern of UEFA Europa League results will continue – for another game, at least – as they take on FC Metalist Kharkiv in Group L.

Form guide
• The record of Belgian clubs in 23 UEFA meetings with Ukrainian opponents is W11 D6 L6; the last three encounters between the nations' teams have all ended in Belgian wins, though only one of the last six encounters in Belgium has ended in a home success (W1 D3 L2).

• Lokeren's recent results in Europe have been consistent; they have won their last two home games by one-goal margins and also lost their last three away matches by the odd goal.

• Metalist have lost only once in their last seven European away trips – 1-0 at SK Rapid Wien in the 2012/13 UEFA Europa League group stage – the other six fixtures in that run ending W3 D3.

Trivia and links
• Metalist can perhaps lay claim to the most spectacular goal in the history of the UEFA Europa League group stage: Taison's remarkable volley against Rosenborg BK on 8 November 2012.

• Metalist's Nigerian midfielder Ayila Yussuf can make his 50th UEFA club competition appearance against Lokeren.

• Metalist forward Jajá played in Belgium for KVC Westerlo and KRC Genk; he and Lokeren goalkeeper Davino Verhulst were briefly team-mates at Genk in the spring of 2007.

The coaches
• Lokeren coach since 2010, Peter Maes spent a big chunk of the 1990s as a back-up goalkeeper for RSC Anderlecht, later becoming No1 at KSK Beveren and R. Standard de Liège. He made his name as a coach by leading KV Mechelen back into the top division in 2006/07.

• Ihor Rakhaiev represented Metalist as a midfielder in the 1990s and returned to the club in 2006 after a couple of spells as FC Arsenal Kyiv coach. Born in Kharkiv, he was a youth coach and assistant to Myron Markevych at Metalist before taking sole command following his boss's departure in February 2014.