Belgian First Division: All change at the top

27 December 2011 01:08

Gent went top of the Belgian First Division, knocking Anderlecht from their perch after defeating Westerlo on Monday.

While Anderlecht can regain their three-point lead should they return from their trip to Mons on Tuesday with a win, Trond Sollied's Gent did their best to apply pressure on their Brussels-based rivals with a 3-1 win over Westerlo.

Gent went into the half-time break at Jules Ottenstadion trailing to veteran Dieter Dekelver's stoppage-time goal, but strikes to Zlatan Ljubijankic, Yassine El Ghanassy and Jesper Jorgensen within 15 second-half minutes ensured the points belonged to the home side.

Also maintaining their chase was Club Brugge, who closed to within two points of Anderlecht after they defeated Zulte-Waregem 1-0.

After a surprise 3-1 defeat at the hands of the struggling OH Leuven in their last fixture, on December 18, Club Brugge needed to bounce back with a victory.

And Christoph Daum's side produced just that, with forward Bjorn Vleminckx getting the game's only goal.

Vleminckx scored in first-half injury time to continue Zulte-Waregem's dreadful run of form.

The 14th-placed side have won just one of their last 13 matches in all competitions.

Genk edged into the top six courtesy of a 4-2 home win over Cercle Brugge, having had to come behind twice to claim full points.

Promising strikerIgor Vetokele put the away side ahead after just nine minutes, only for Israel international forward Eli Barda to level the match four minutes later.

Cercle Brugge led 2-1 just after the half-hour mark when experienced defender Bernt Evans prodded home at the second attempt, having had an attempted cross fall fortuitously into his path just inside the area.

Trike pair Christian Benteke and Jelle Vossen struck in close succession to ensure Genk would go into the half-time break leading 3-2, and Tunisian midfielder Fabien Camus iced the result in second-half stoppage time after a superb run on the left wing by 17-year-old winger substitute Anthony Limbombe.

Kortrijk toppled Standard Liege 2-0 to lead over their opponents into fourth on the table, while Beerschot and Lierse did little for their playoff ambitions with a scoreless draw.

Bottom-side St Truiden's trip to Lokeren ended the same way, and Mechelen and OH Leuven shared the points in a 2-2 draw.