Malmundaria vs Liège

Liège needed just 11 minutes to assert their superiority. Kylian Hazard, the younger brother of Eden and Thorgan, slotted home the opener after good build-up play. Simon Paulet doubled the lead on 20 minutes, and Eric N'Jo made it 3-0 in the 27th minute. Kays Ruiz added a fourth before half-time, with Malmundaria unable to contain the visitors' movement in the oppressive heat.

The second half followed a similar pattern. Trialist Sulejmani scored his first in the 48th minute, another trialist Tahiraj made it 6-0 in the 80th minute, and Sulejmani completed his brace from the penalty spot in the 90th minute to round off the scoring.

The game was effectively over inside 11 minutes. Hazard's early opener, scored while Malmundaria were still settling into their defensive shape, forced the D3B FFA hosts to push forward and leave gaps. Liège exploited those spaces ruthlessly, scoring three more before the interval. The pre-match fitness disparity between a full-time Challenger Pro League squad and a part-time fourth-tier side was stark, especially in the heat.

• Kylian Hazard (Liège): Scored the opening goal and was a constant threat on the left flank, providing the quality edge that decided the game.
• Sulejmani (Liège, trialist): Two goals — one from open play and a late penalty — made a strong case for a contract.
• Simon Paulet (Liège): Dominated midfield, scored the second goal and dictated the tempo throughout.

The 7-0 scoreline reflects the gulf in Belgian football's pyramid: Liège (Challenger Pro League, second tier) fielded seven trialists and still outclassed Malmundaria (D3B FFA, fourth tier), who were missing eight first-team squad members including Hungs, Toussaint, Fassotte and Jonckheere. With temperatures pushing 40°C, cooling breaks were introduced — a factor that arguably favoured Liège's superior fitness levels.

For RFC Liège, this was their second pre-season outing after a 2-2 draw against Richelle on 24 June. Manager Gaëtan Englebert will be encouraged by the efficiency shown by both contracted players and trialists, with seven different names on the scoresheet. Liège continue their preparation ahead of the 2026-27 Challenger Pro League season.

For Malmundaria, newly promoted to D3B FFA under coach Tony Niro, this was a reality check against elite opposition. The Dragons, who won the P1 title last season to return to national level, were without key players due to holidays and injuries. Niro told SudInfo.be: "We did our maximum. The heat and the level of Liège made it very difficult." Next friendly: against La Calamine (date TBC).

This was a mismatch dictated by the Belgian league pyramid's two-tier gap, exacerbated by extreme heat and Malmundaria's absentees. Liège's thorough 7-0 win tells us little about their season ahead but plenty about the fitness and tactical gulf between the divisions. For Malmundaria, the scoreline is irrelevant; minutes in legs against higher-quality opposition is the real prize in pre-season.