Antwerp vs Westerlo. H2H and match prediction — May 23, 2026
The final, 10th round of the Belgian Pro League Europe Play-offs brings together two teams who have already lost their tournament motivation. Standard and Genk have pulled too far ahead, so at Bosuilstadion, Antwerp and Westerlo will focus solely on local objectives: fighting for pride, giving minutes to their reserves, and putting on a spectacular season finale for their fans.
Under Faris Haroun, Antwerp have endured a highly inconsistent spring run, alternating rare quality performances with outright collapses in front of their home crowd. Painful home defeats have dealt a blow to the club’s ambitions: the team lost five matches in the group, scoring only two goals in those games while conceding 13. However, in the previous round, the team showed strict discipline and managed a goalless draw in a tough away fixture against Genk (0-0). In this season finale, the home side will be expected to play attacking football, with Vincent Janssen once again leading the line as the main attacking threat.
Westerlo, under Issame Charai, maintained a theoretical chance to challenge for a European spot up until the penultimate round, but a recent slip-up against Standard (1-2) finally ended those hopes. The visitors traditionally bet on bold, vertical football with rapid wing attacks, where Nacho Ferri and Christopher Scott stand out. In the holding midfield, the team tries to keep a balance, but systematic failures during transitions and positional errors from the central defenders remain their main vulnerability, especially away from home.
The absence of serious tournament pressure should give both coaches full freedom, which will almost certainly result in open and entertaining football. We’ll likely see some squad rotation and the introduction of young talent on both sides. Antwerp will look to dominate possession, while Westerlo will push high and try to catch their opponents on the counter. The last head-to-head meeting between these teams at the end of April turned into a real goal-fest, with Antwerp winning 4-2, and the nature of the upcoming clash is unlikely to differ much, given both sides’ dented morale.
Match facts and head-to-head
- In the last five matches, Antwerp have three wins and Westerlo two
- Antwerp have won just one of their last five matches, conceding in four of them
- Westerlo have four wins and four defeats in their last ten games. The team conceded in six of those matches
Prediction
Neither side is feeling the pressure of chasing a result: both have lost any chance of fighting for European competition. I expect an end-to-end match with plenty of chances. My prediction: both teams to score – YES at 1.5
