Oostende vs Antwerp Prediction: Visitors to dominate this first leg encounter

Oostende and Antwerp are set to face off in the first leg of the Belgian Cup semifinal at Albert Park. Both teams are coming off victories in their last weekend matches, and they will be aiming for another positive result in this upcoming clash. Let's delve into the match previews and make a prediction for this anticipated encounter.

In their recent Belgian Cup outing, Oostende secured a 2-0 victory over RWDM. Ewan Henderson opened the scoring in the 26th minute, assisted by Mohamed Berte. The decisive second goal came in the 59th minute courtesy of Brent Laes. Matches involving Oostende have consistently been thrilling affairs lately, marked by abundant scoring. Over their last six encounters, a total of 20 goals were scored by both teams combined, averaging at 3.33 goals per game, with Oostende contributing 14 of those goals.

In the previous round of the Belgian Cup, Antwerp demonstrated their prowess by overcoming Leuven with a 3-2 victory. Antwerp staged a comeback in the match, with Vincent Janssen's penalty goal equalizing the score after Youssef Maziz had given Leuven an early lead in the 2nd minute. Vincent Janssen secured his second goal of the day in the 18th minute, following his earlier 8th-minute strike. Despite Mathieu Maertens scoring for Leuven in the 79th minute, a second-half goal by Zeno Van Den Bosch in the 54th minute secured Antwerp's place in the semifinals. As they enter this match as the favored team, Antwerp aims to maintain their strength, put forth a formidable performance, and secure a victory.

Oostende Possible Lineup:

Bossin, D’Arpino, Medley, Vinck, Wylin, Laes, Decoene, Henderson, Dewaele, Atanga, Berte

Antwerp Possible Lineup:

Butez, Van Den Bosch, Alderweireld, Ekkelenkamp, Kerk, Doumbia, Wijnaldum, Bataille, Janssen, Ejuke, Illenikhena

Although both teams have been in good form lately, the visiting team undoubtedly boasts a superior squad and performs at a higher level. However, I anticipate a highly competitive matchup, with both teams expected to create scoring opportunities. Despite the away team being favored for the win due to their quality, I also anticipate both teams finding the back of the net in this encounter.