Union Saint-Gilloise clinched their twelfth Belgian league title, and first since 1935, after a decisive 3-1 victory over KAA Gent on Sunday evening at the Duden Park, marking a historical moment for the club.
Union ended the Champions’ Play-offs with an impressive 28 points out of a possible 30, finishing three points clear of Club Brugge, who only managed a 1-1 draw against Antwerp.
Gent concluded the play-offs in sixth place with a meagre total of 26 points, having set a record low with only three points out of 30.
Union immediately demonstrated their attacking intentions through Franjo Ivanovic, though his header only found the side netting.
Ten minutes later, Ivanovic scored by smartly positioning himself and volleying a well-executed corner kick through a cluster of players.
Despite this early lead, Union did not press strongly, and it allowed Gent’s Andri Gudjohnsen to level the score just before half-time, courtesy of a pass from former Union player Dante Vanzeir.
In the second half, substitutes Promise David and Alessio Castro-Montes invigorated Union’s search for a winning goal. Koki Machida had a golden chance shortly after the hour mark but hit the crossbar.
Gent failed to respond, and David took advantage of Matisse Samoise’s defensive error, capitalising on a setup from Anouar Aït El Hadj to score the crucial 2-1.
David further cemented the victory by heading in the 3-1 goal in an unconventional manner shortly afterwards.
Despite more chances to extend the lead, the final score remained 3-1, sealing Union’s championship triumph under the guidance of coach Sébastien Pocognoli.
