Union Saint-Gilloise were left without a win in their own stadium, but the defeat does not prevent them from advancing to the group stage of the UEFA Champions League. The 1‑1 against Louven, a team from the bottom of the table, cost them the position of leader of the Jupiler Pro League and left them in fourth place, but the Belgian club will continue their path in the European tournament starting on Thursday.
The match, played at the Ghelamco Arena Stadium, was a match of varying pace. Louven opened the scoring in the 23rd minute thanks to a goal from Opoku, who then, in a moment of defensive lack of coordination, scored one of his own that tied the score in the 66th minute. Union SG, who had maintained a streak of six consecutive victories between the league and the Champions League, could not maintain the advantage and were reduced to ten players after the direct expulsion of Patris. Despite the lack of players, the team led by Hubert continued without losing in the usual 90 minutes, with the only defeat recorded in extra time of the second leg of the Champions League qualifier against Bodø‑Glimt.
With the tie, Union SG lost the head of the table and remained in fourth position, just behind the teams competing for direct qualification to the Champions League. Even so, the club maintains a solid position in European competition, having won its first group stage match 3‑0 against Plzen. The victory gives them a three-point lead over Real Sociedad, who also face the group stage next week.
Union SG, which has been undefeated in 90 minutes of its European matches, has demonstrated solid defense and collective play that has allowed it to remain competitive against teams with greater tradition. The expulsion of Patris and the lack of a decisive goal at home have been a blow, but the Belgian club does not lose confidence in its project under the direction of Hubert.
As for Real Sociedad, the result does not affect their position in the Spanish table, but it does add pressure to their European campaign. Unión Saint-Gilloise's next match will be against Real Sociedad on Thursday, with both teams looking to consolidate their position in the group stage. Meanwhile, Union SG will continue working on its strategy to maintain performance in both the league and the Champions League.