Union Saint-Gilloise vs Cercle Brugge Prediction: League leaders expected to get the job done

The Stade Joseph Marien is set to host the round 16 Belgian Jupiler Pro League clash between Union Saint-Gilloise and Cercle Brugge. Below, I'll provide a match preview and explore potential betting opportunities.

Union Saint-Gilloise is heading into this game on the heels of a 0-0 draw in the Europa League against Toulouse. During that match, Union Saint-Gilloise had 46% possession and made 11 attempts on goal, with 3 on target. Conversely, Toulouse had 4 goal attempts, with 1 on target. Looking at their performance over the last 6 games, Alexander Blessin's Union Saint-Gilloise has scored a total of 8 times, resulting in an average of 1.33 goals per match. In the build-up to this upcoming clash, Union Saint-Gilloise boasts an unbeaten record in their previous 4 home league matches.

Cercle Brugge enters this match following a 2-0 victory against Eupen in their last First Division A encounter. In that game, Cercle Brugge held 45% possession and registered an impressive 31 shots on goal, with 11 on target. Alan Minda (46') and Kazeem Olaigbe (96') were the goalscorers for Cercle Brugge, while Eupen managed 6 attempts on goal, with 4 on target. A noticeable trend in recent matches involving Cercle Brugge has been the occurrence of at least one team failing to score. Over their last 6 games, this has happened 5 times. In those encounters, opposing teams have scored a total of 5 goals, while Cercle Brugge has found the back of the net 8 times.

Union Saint-Gilloise is currently in good form in the league, and despite Cercle Brugge not performing at their peak, it seems likely that the hosts will secure all three points in this match. Additionally, considering the outcomes of their previous encounters, both teams are expected to have opportunities to score, making a bet on the over a reasonable option.