Diegem Sport vs Union St. Gilloise

The result was never in doubt once M. Sylla stabbed Union ahead in the third minute, capitalising on a defensive hesitation from the hosts. Diegem Sport, preparing for the upcoming season in the Belgian Fourth Division (2e Nationale B), struggled to contain the visitors' movement and pace from the opening exchanges.

A. Khalaili doubled the lead in the 13th minute, finishing calmly after a well-worked move through the middle. Union's dominance in possession was absolute — Diegem scarcely ventured into the final third in the first half.

Two quickfire goals just before the interval effectively ended the contest as a competitive exercise. I. Pavlić made it 3-0 in the 36th minute, before Guilherme Henriques da Silva Carvalho added a fourth three minutes later, leaving the score 4-0 at half-time.

Union showed no mercy after the restart. M. Biondic scored the fifth in the 52nd minute, L. Patris curled home the sixth from range in the 75th minute, and substitute A. Zorgane completed the scoring with an 88th-minute strike — the seventh different goalscorer of the evening.

No cards were issued across the 90 minutes, reflecting the friendly nature of the contest.

Sylla's third-minute opener. Against a side three divisions below them, Union's early goal removed any possibility of Diegem growing into the contest. The hosts had planned to frustrate early and rely on set-pieces; the early concession forced them to open up, and the floodgates followed.

• M. Sylla — Set the tone with a poacher's finish inside three minutes, leading Union's pressing from the front.
• Guilherme Henriques da Silva Carvalho — The Brazilian midfielder combined a goal with inventive passing in the No. 10 role, pulling the strings as Union built their 4-0 half-time lead.
• A. Zorgane — Came off the bench to score the seventh with a driven finish from the edge of the box, capping an energetic late cameo.
• L. Patris — The full-back's 75th-minute strike from distance was the standout goal of the evening.

The 7-0 scoreline reflects a complete mismatch in quality and preparation levels. Union's seven goals from seven different scorers — with four coming in the first half alone — highlight a squad where multiple players can contribute even in pre-season's early stages. Diegem's inability to register a single shot on target (based on the flow of play and scoreline context) was unsurprising given the three-division gap between the sides. The absence of any cards underlines the respectful, fitness-focused nature of the encounter.

Union Saint-Gilloise begin their third consecutive pre-season under head coach Sébastien Pocognoli with a clean-sheet win and goals spread across the squad. They face Romanian side FCSB on 5 July before meeting Danish club Aarhus GF on 11 July. Their competitive season starts with the Belgian Supercup against Club Brugge on 31 July, followed by Champions League third-round qualifiers in early August.

Diegem Sport continue their own pre-season build-up ahead of the 2026/27 Belgian Fourth Division campaign, which begins in August.

A professional, ruthlessly efficient opening friendly from Union. The scoreline was never in doubt against opponents from three tiers below, but seven different goalscorers and a clean sheet represent exactly the kind of sharp start Pocognoli would have wanted. The real tests begin against FCSB and Aarhus next week.