Lauwe vs Kortrijk

Lauwe had absorbed Kortrijk's pressure relatively well for the first 57 minutes, trailing by only a single goal. Van Landschoot's first goal in the 58th minute broke that resistance, and the floodgates opened. Three goals in ten minutes turned a respectable deficit into a rout, and the match was effectively over by the 68th minute.

Jellert Van Landschoot — The 28-year-old left winger was the difference-maker, scoring a second-half hat-trick (58', 60', 68') that turned a tight contest into a landslide. Van Landschoot scored 13 goals in 32 Challenger Pro League appearances in 2025-26, second only to Thierry Ambrose (14) in Kortrijk's scoring charts, and this performance suggests he will be a key weapon in the Pro League.

Nadir El Majdoub — Opened the scoring with the first-half breakthrough in the 27th minute, settling any early nerves and setting the tone for the dominant display.

Bryan Adinany and Anthony Phillips — Both scored within two minutes of each other (71', 73') to cap the scoring and underline Kortrijk's attacking depth. Adinany contributed 7 goals in the 2025-26 league campaign, while Phillips is a new option in the squad.

The scoreline tells a story of complete dominance, but the timing of the goals adds important nuance. Five of six goals arrived between the 58th and 73rd minutes — a 15-minute second-half spell where Kortrijk scored at will. The first half was far tighter: just one goal separated the sides at the break. No cards were shown across the 90 minutes, typical of a pre-season friendly with a lower-division opponent. Five different scorers reflects encouraging squad depth for Yves Vanderhaeghe's Pro League return.

This was Kortrijk's second pre-season fixture of the 2026-27 preparation campaign, following a 4-1 win over KFC Marke on 17 June. The result keeps momentum building ahead of their next friendly against KV Diksmuide Oostende on 27 June. For Lauwe, a provincial-level side from West Flanders (stamnummer 535), the match was a valuable workout and a significant step-up in opposition as they prepare for their own season.

Kortrijk will begin the 2026-27 Belgian Pro League season — back in the top flight after just one season in the second tier. The Belgian top division has expanded to 18 teams for this campaign, scrapping the previous play-off system.

A routine, one-sided pre-season workout against a vastly inferior opponent. Van Landschoot's hat-trick and the spread of goals across five scorers are encouraging signs for Kortrijk, but the margin reflects the gulf in levels rather than anything that will trouble Pro League opposition. The real tests begin when the competitive fixtures start.