Friendlies Clubs· Season 2026
OH Leuven beat Lommel SK 5-1 in a behind-closed-doors pre-season friendly, with goals from Traoré, Ikwuemesi, Schrijvers, Balikwisha and Vlietinck.
Match Videos
Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow it unfolded
Traoré opened the scoring inside the first ten minutes. Kelvin Opoku drove down the flank and pulled the ball back for the attacker, who finished first time to make it 1-0.
Lommel equalised from their first meaningful attack. Sverre Nypan — a new arrival for the Limburg side — threaded a pass through to Ralf Seuntjens, who beat goalkeeper Tobe Van den Heuvel with a composed finish.
OH Leuven regained the lead before the first interval. Traoré turned provider, picking out Charly Ikwuemesi at the far post, and the striker nodded home to make it 2-1.
Early in the second period, the hosts extended their advantage. A Teklab cross struck a Lommel defender's arm inside the box, and Siebe Schrijvers stepped up to hammer the resulting penalty into the net — 3-1.
OH Leuven made eleven changes for the final 30 minutes, introducing an entirely fresh XI. The new lineup maintained the intensity. Bulut played a pinpoint ball through to Michaël Balikwisha, who cut inside and fired into the far corner for 4-1.
Balikwisha then turned creator, driving to the byline and cutting back for Thibaut Vlietinck, whose low shot made it 5-1.
The turning point
Lommel had a brief window of momentum after Seuntjens' equaliser, with Zsombor Vancsa going close twice. But OH Leuven's second goal — Ikwuemesi's header from Traoré's cross — restored control before the break, and the hosts never looked back. The penalty early in the second period effectively ended the contest.
Key performers
Hamza Traoré — a goal and an assist inside the opening period, consistently involved in the build-up with sharp movement and link-up play.
Michaël Balikwisha — introduced for the final third and immediately decisive, scoring one and setting up another, showing the kind of impact off the bench that will encourage manager Chris Coleman.
Siebe Schrijvers — composed from the penalty spot and tidy in midfield during the opening hour, wearing the captain's armband.
Ralf Seuntjens — Lommel's brightest spark, taking his goal well and offering a physical presence that troubled OH Leuven's centre-backs.
By the numbers
The 5-1 scoreline reflected OH Leuven's superior efficiency in both boxes. Lommel created flashes — Vancsa's near-misses, a header from Reumers that drew a save from Leysen — but failed to convert sustained pressure into goals. OH Leuven, by contrast, took five of their clearer chances across the three periods, rotating two full XIs while maintaining a consistent attacking threat.
What it means
OH Leuven continue their pre-season build-up having beaten Olympiacos 2-0, drawn with an unnamed opponent, and now dispatched Lommel 5-1. They face Lierse SK next on Saturday 18 July in another friendly, followed by a fan day fixture against LOSC Lille on 1 August.
For Lommel, this was their first defeat of pre-season after a 1-1 draw with Cercle Brugge on 11 July. The Challenger Pro League side will look to sharpen defensively ahead of their next friendly fixture. The match was played behind closed doors and split into three periods, a format that allowed both coaching staffs to test different combinations.
Rivalry since 2016
OH Leuven vs Lommel United Head to Head Results· 16
OH Leuven and Lommel United have met 16 times — OH Leuven won 9, Lommel United won 3, with 4 draws. Their rivalry dates back to 2016. OH Leuven leads the head-to-head with 9 victories from 16 meetings. A combined 47 goals have been scored across these fixtures, averaging 2.94 per match (29 for the home side, 18 for the visitors). Both teams scored in 10 matches (63%). Over 2.5 goals landed in 10 games (63%), making it a fixture that tends to produce goals. The highest-scoring encounter finished 3–2 in 2019.
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 16 Jul 2026