Union Saint-Gilloise won 3-2 at Sporting Charleroi in a spectacular Pro League clash on Saturday, with the result moving the Brussels side to the top of the table for the time being.
Ordinarily, a meeting between Charleroi and Union Saint-Gilloise is a notable Pro League fixture, but not a genuine clash at the summit. That changed with the Zèbres’ excellent start to the season, as they went into the weekend top of the standings after four wins from four.
Charleroi began brightly and took the lead in the 12th minute, but only after Union captain Zorgane punished a costly error by Koné to strike against his former team. The hosts responded well. After Van den Kerkhof hit the post, Charleroi produced two fine team moves to turn the game around, first through Mbemba in the 27th minute and then through Pflücke in the 41st. Their advantage, however, lasted only briefly, as Zorgane levelled again in the 44th minute from the second ball after a corner, with little pressure around him.
Union regained control straight after the interval thanks to a superb strike from Van De Perre from the edge of the penalty area following a corner in the 49th minute. Florucz then almost settled the contest, but rattled the crossbar in the 55th minute. Charleroi refused to give in and created several opportunities to equalise, missing the target on a few promising chances, including a big one for Ousou in the 60th minute and a header from Havenaar that bounced off his own crossbar in the 85th.
Despite their effort, the Zèbres could not find an equaliser and slipped to their first defeat of the season, 3-2, after an impressive overall display. Union, meanwhile, move provisionally top of the championship with a one-point lead over Club Brugge, Charleroi and La Gantoise, who travel to Cercle Brugge on Sunday.