Thes Sport vs St. Truiden

Thes Sport's early goal was a wake-up call, but STVV's response within five minutes was decisive. Once Mbalanda levelled, the pattern of the game shifted — STVV assumed territorial dominance and never looked back. The equaliser came so quickly that Thes Sport never had a chance to settle into their lead.

J. Mbalanda (STVV) — The 6th-minute equaliser was the critical moment of the match. The young midfielder, returning from a loan spell at Olympic Charleroi, showed sharp instincts in the box to drag his side back into the game.

R. Verheyen (STVV) — Scored the winner in the 38th minute, finishing a period of sustained STVV pressure to complete the first-half turnaround.

Matsuzawa (STVV) — According to Truineer, the Japanese midfielder was the most impressive player in the second half after De Meyer fielded an entirely different XI. He made a strong case for a role in the first team as pre-season continues.

STVV used a completely different XI in each half — a clear sign of early pre-season rotation. The first-half team, which included the likes of Mbe Soh, Mbalanda, and Verheyen, built the 2-1 lead with controlled possession. The second-half XI, featuring Matsuzawa, Nhaili, and Diouf among others, managed the result without conceding but lacked the same cohesion — a reflection of the heavy training load earlier in the day, as noted by Truineer.

With only three goals in the game, all inside the first 38 minutes, the second half was a lower-intensity affair typical of a first pre-season friendly where fitness takes priority over result.

De Meyer, promoted from his role as assistant after Wouter Vrancken left the club, has his first win on the board. Thes Sport, a National Division 1 side (Belgian third tier), showed they could compete with a top-flight opponent in spells but ultimately lacked the quality to sustain their early lead.

STVV continue their pre-season schedule on 4 July against KVV Zepperen-Brustem, followed by a training camp in Horst, Netherlands from 6-11 July. Further friendlies are lined up against Patro Eisden Maasmechelen (15 July), FC Luzern (18 July), RFC Liège (22 July), and AEK Athens (2 August) before the new Jupiler Pro League season begins.

A routine pre-season opening for STVV. The early scare was quickly extinguished, and De Meyer's side controlled the game from the 6th minute onwards. The wholesale changes at half-time confirm this was about fitness minutes and squad evaluation, not result. The comeback itself was a positive sign of resilience, but the real tests come against stronger opposition later in July.