RAAL La Louvière vs Kifisia

Playing their first pre-season friendly of summer 2026 in the Netherlands, RAAL La Louvière started brightly against a Kifisia side that finished 10th in the Greek Super League in 2025/26.

Elias Filet came closest in the opening exchanges, his effort crashing against the crossbar. Ismaila Coulibaly also tested the Kifisia defence with a shot that flew just over the bar.

But Kifisia struck before half-time through a well-worked set piece. Spanish midfielder Jorge Pombo converted in the 23rd minute to give the Greek side a 0-1 lead at the break, as reported by the RAAL La Louvière official website.

The second half saw Kifisia threaten early, with two good chances that required sharp saves from RAAL goalkeeper Tiago Cardoso. However, RAAL struck back on their first meaningful attack of the second period. Mohamed Guindo unleashed a clean, powerful strike from distance that flew into the net, levelling the score at 1-1 in the 49th minute.

Both sides created further opportunities but neither could find a winner, the match ending in a share of the spoils.

Guindo's equaliser came at a crucial moment. Kifisia had started the second half strongly and created two clear chances saved by Cardoso. Had Kifisia doubled their lead, the match would likely have been beyond RAAL. Instead, Guindo's long-range strike on RAAL's first attack of the second half swung momentum back, ensuring the Belgian side finished the match on level terms.

Mohamed Guindo (RAAL La Louvière) — The 22-year-old Malian forward scored the equaliser with a well-struck effort from distance, his first goal of pre-season. His finish was the standout moment of quality in the match.

Tiago Cardoso (RAAL La Louvière) — The Portuguese goalkeeper made two important saves early in the second half to keep RAAL in the contest before Guindo's equaliser. His positioning and handling were assured throughout.

Jorge Pombo (Kifisia) — The 32-year-old Spanish attacking midfielder scored from a set piece, showing the composure and movement that has made him a key figure for Kifisia. He joined the Greek club in 2023 after spells at Osasuna, Albacete and Cádiz.

The match statistics were not officially published, but the flow of play suggests a fairly even contest. RAAL created the better chances in the first half — hitting the crossbar through Filet and having a Coulibaly shot go just over — but Kifisia took their one clear opportunity from a set piece. The second half started with Kifisia on top before Guindo's equaliser reset the balance. Both sides will have valued the 90 minutes of fitness work more than the result.

This was RAAL La Louvière's first pre-season friendly under manager Frédéric Taquin as they prepare for the 2026/27 Jupiler Pro League season. The Belgian side continue their pre-season schedule on Saturday 25 July against Turkish Süper Lig side Samsunspor, also in the Netherlands, behind closed doors.

Kifisia, managed by their 2026/27 coaching staff, are building towards the new Greek Super League season. The draw gives both sides a solid foundation to build upon as they increase match sharpness.

RAAL La Louvière started with: Cardoso — Lutonda, Lamego, Nkoa, Delos — Gourville, Ito, Coulibaly, Tajaouart — Filet, Kerckhofs (per the official RAAL website).

A fair result in a competitive pre-season friendly. RAAL will be encouraged by their ability to create chances and by Guindo's composed finish, while Kifisia will be pleased with their set-piece execution and early second-half pressure. Both sides will take the fitness gains and move on to their next pre-season tests.