Union Saint-Gilloise 1-0 Genk: Match Report, Goals, Stats and Ratings
Belgian Pro League Matchday 11 · Sunday 8 November 2026 · Stade Joseph Mariën, Brussels · referee B. Van Driessche · full time
Full time: Union Saint-Gilloise 1-0 Genk
Union Saint-Gilloise beat Genk 1-0 in Belgian Pro League Matchday 11 on Sunday 8 November 2026 at Stade Joseph Mariën. The goals: Ross Sykes 76'. Moneyball's pre-match estimate had the result right.
How Union Saint-Gilloise won it
Ross Sykes put Union Saint-Gilloise ahead in the 76th minute, set up by Besfort Zeneli.
It was 0-0 at half-time, and the second half changed the result.
The referee, B. Van Driessche, showed 2 yellow cards: 1 to Union Saint-Gilloise and 1 to Genk.
Union Saint-Gilloise: D. Hubert, 3-4-2-1 · Genk: J. Thorup, 3-4-1-2.
Moneyball's prediction against the result
Moneyball's Match Board pick, Under 3.25, was right: 1-0 bears it out.
The estimate's most likely result was an Union Saint-Gilloise win at 54%, and that is what happened. Its single most likely score was 1-1 (11%).
The goals dried up: the estimate expected about 3.0 and the match produced one.
Over 2.5 goals had been put at 58%; with 1 goal the under came in, against the way the estimate leaned.
Both teams to score was 58%; they did not both score, against the estimate.
Computed before kick-off from both sides' season goals and expected goals as of 2026-11-08, through a Dixon-Coles score model, and left as it was.
Why it went this way
On the day the expected goals were 0.90 for Union Saint-Gilloise and 1.56 for Genk.
Genk left about 1.6 goals' worth of chances on the pitch.
The run of play itself went against the pre-match reading: Moneyball expected Union Saint-Gilloise to create more, and Genk did.
Union Saint-Gilloise had 4 shots on target, Genk 0.
Union Saint-Gilloise had 54% of the ball and turned it into the win.
Where the two sides stood before this match
Union Saint-Gilloise came into it with 11 Belgian Pro League matches played, scoring 2.7 and conceding 0.6 a match, with 1.91 expected goals for and 1.11 against, and had won 82% of their matches.
Genk came into it with 11 Belgian Pro League matches played, scoring 1.6 and conceding 1.4 a match, with 1.96 expected goals for and 1.22 against, and had won 36% of their matches.
Union Saint-Gilloise vs Genk: the match in numbers
| Union Saint-Gilloise | Match statistics | Genk |
|---|---|---|
| 54% | Ball possession | 46% |
| 0.90 | Expected goals (xG) | 1.56 |
| 23 | Total shots | 10 |
| 4 | Shots on target | 0 |
| 1 | Big chances | 0 |
| 534 | Total passes | 453 |
| 84% | Pass accuracy | 81% |
| 10 | Corners | 3 |
| 8 | Fouls | 10 |
| 1 | Offsides | 1 |
| 14 | Tackles | 20 |
| 0 | Saves | 3 |
| 1 | Yellow cards | 1 |
Team statistics from Sportmonks.
Player ratings and man of the match
Man of the match: Besfort Zeneli (Union Saint-Gilloise), rated 8.1 by Sportmonks, with 1 assist.
Union Saint-Gilloise
- Besfort Zeneli 8.1 1 assist
- Ross Sykes 7.8 1 goal
- Massiré Sylla 7.7
- Adem Zorgane 7.3
- Nohim Chibani 7.0
Genk
- Rafiu Durosinmi 7.7
- Daan Heymans 7.2
- Josué Kongolo 7.2
- Joris Kayembe 7.2
- Matte Smets 7.1
The lowest-rated starter was Aaron Bibout at 6.4. Ratings run from 0 to 10; around 7.0 is a solid match.
What comes next
- Union Saint-Gilloise: KV Kortrijk vs Union Saint-Gilloise Sunday 22 November 2026 · Belgian Pro League
- Genk: Genk vs La Louvière Saturday 21 November 2026 · Belgian Pro League
Each preview has Moneyball's estimate for the next match, published before kick-off and marked against the result afterwards, as this one is.
Questions about Union Saint-Gilloise vs Genk
What was the score in Union Saint-Gilloise vs Genk?
Union Saint-Gilloise 1-0 Genk (half-time 0-0), Belgian Pro League, Sunday 8 November 2026.
Who scored in Union Saint-Gilloise vs Genk?
Ross Sykes 76'.
Did Moneyball predict Union Saint-Gilloise vs Genk correctly?
Moneyball's Match Board pick, Under 3.25, was right: 1-0 bears it out.
Who was man of the match in Union Saint-Gilloise vs Genk?
Besfort Zeneli, rated 8.1 by Sportmonks.
Who refereed Union Saint-Gilloise vs Genk?
B. Van Driessche.
Every match, before and after
Moneyball writes a preview with its estimate before every match of Europe's top five leagues and the European cups, then marks it against the result, hits and misses alike.
Moneyball is a football statistics site. No model predicts football reliably: every figure is an estimate.