St. Truiden Run Riot at Het Kuipje in 4-0 Demolition of Westerlo

St. Truiden delivered a masterclass performance at Het Kuipje on Friday evening, dismantling KVC Westerlo 4-0 to maintain their impressive push for European qualification in the Jupiler Pro League.

The visitors, sitting second in the table with 48 points from 24 matches, demonstrated precisely why they boast a remarkable 2.0 points-per-game average this season. Ryo Yamamoto was the star of the show, netting a brace that effectively settled the contest before half-time.

Truiden’s dominance was evident from the opening exchanges, with Yamamoto opening the scoring after just 10 minutes to set the tone for what would become a comprehensive victory. The Japanese forward doubled his tally two minutes before the break, sandwiching Amadou Sissako’s 31st-minute strike that had already put the match beyond Westerlo’s reach at 3-0.

The home side, languishing in 11th position with just 28 points and a concerning goal difference of -7, found themselves chasing shadows throughout the encounter. Their recent form of five defeats in seven matches (LWDLL) suggested vulnerability, but few could have predicted such a capitulation on home soil.

Westerlo’s evening descended into farce when David Ourega received his marching orders in the 76th minute after picking up a second yellow card, reducing the hosts to 10 men. Kazuki Goto rubbed salt into the wounds six minutes later, completing the rout with Truiden’s fourth goal of the evening.

The nine-place gap between these sides in the league table was starkly illustrated over 90 minutes of football. While Westerlo managed just 1.17 points per game this campaign, St. Truiden’s clinical finishing and disciplined defensive structure showcased the qualities that have propelled them into genuine contention for European football next season.

This emphatic victory extends Truiden’s impressive run of form, with four wins from their last five league outings. For Westerlo, the search for consistency continues as they face an uphill battle to climb away from the lower reaches of Belgium’s top flight.