Big night in Deurne: Antwerp host Anderlecht in Belgian Cup semi-final
The Bosuilstadion will be buzzing on 12/02/2026 as Antwerp welcome Anderlecht for a high-stakes Belgian Cup semi-final. With referee Nathan Verboomen assigned and a capacity crowd of 16,649 to set the scene, both clubs arrive with fresh wounds from the weekend — Antwerp beaten 2-0 by Mechelen, Anderlecht edged 2-0 by Genk — but the cup can reset narratives faster than any league fixture. Antwerp’s recent domestic rhythm looks stronger on paper: their form string shows a sequence of six wins, one draw and three defeats in the latest ten, while Anderlecht have struggled to find consistency, collecting just two wins and suffering six losses in their last ten.
Tactical hints from the numbers
Statistics suggest this will be an open, attacking affair. Antwerp post impressive home attacking metrics: an average of 8.75 corners and 14.5 shots per match in the dataset, accompanied by a high over-2.5 rate — three of their last four home fixtures produced over 2.5 goals. Anderlecht aren’t toothless on the road either; they average 15.25 total shots and have shown an ability to create dangerous attacks, reflected in similar attack averages to Antwerp. BTTS indicators are notable: Antwerp’s home matches in the sample all featured both teams scoring, and Anderlecht’s away sample also points to goals. While Antwerp have conceded more at home in the snapshot, Anderlecht’s defensive record on the road includes clean sheets as well, so expect an intriguing balance between attacking intent and cup pragmatism.
The recent head-to-head meeting only adds spice — Antwerp edged Anderlecht 1-0 in the Belgian Cup on 05/02/2026 — but both sides’ league defeats since then underline that form can swing quickly. Match odds show Antwerp as a slim favorite (around 2.54) with Anderlecht not far behind (about 2.70) and the draw offered near 3.25, signaling an open market where value could be found in both match-winner and total-goals lines.
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Betting suggestion Based on the attacking profiles, corner dominance and the high over-2.5 rate in Antwerp’s recent home matches, the recommended play for this tie is the goal market: back Over 2.5 goals. The data points to both teams generating chances and previous cup encounters producing decisive but not necessarily low-scoring affairs — a small, measured stake on Over 2.5 looks the most logical value bet from the available markets.
