2007–08 Belgian First Division

The 2007–08 season of the Belgian First Division began on August 3, 2007, and concluded on May 10, 2008. The championship was decided in the 31st round on April 20, 2008, when Standard Liège beat Anderlecht 2–0 at home. For Standard it was their 9th League Championship, but just their first in the last 25 years. At the other end of the table, Brussels and Sint-Truiden were relegated on matchdays 31 and 32 respectively. Behind Standard, Anderlecht and Club Brugge fought until the end for the second place which gives right to a place in the qualifying rounds of the 2008–09 UEFA Champions League. On the penultimate matchday, Anderlecht won against Club Brugge with 2–0 which proved decisive in the end for them to become second.

Clubs

Eighteen teams played in the Belgian First Division season 2007–08. Twelve teams were from Flanders, four clubs from Wallonia and two clubs from the Brussels-Capital Region.

New teams

K.S.K. Beveren had been relegated at the end of the previous season with F. C. Verbroedering Dender E.H. replacing them as they won the Belgian Second Division. Lierse lost their spot during the promotion playoff and were replaced by Y.R. K.V. Mechelen.

Overview

Anderlecht

Brussels

Germinal Beerschot

Club Brugge
Cercle Brugge

Charleroi

Dender

Sint-Truiden

Genk

Gent

Mons

Location of teams in Belgian First Division 2007–08

Managerial changes

Kits

Stadiums

League standings

Source: Jupiler League
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) number of matches won; if teams are still tied a playoff is organised.
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated

Results

Source: Jupiler League
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Season statistics

Scoring

First goal of the season: Marcin Wasilewski for Anderlecht against Mechelen (3 August 2007)
Widest winning margin: 6: Westerlo 6–0 Roeselare (20 October 2007)
Most goals in a match: 9: Westerlo 7–2 Brussels (19 January 2008)
Best offensive team: Cercle Brugge with 62 goals.
Best defensive team: Standard Liège with 19 goals.
Hattricks scored:
- Milan Jovanović for Standard Liège against Brussels (11 August 2007)
- Milan Jovanović for Standard Liège against Roeselare (25 August 2007)
- Joseph Akpala for Charleroi against Sint-Truiden (26 August 2007)
- Bertin Tomou for Mouscron against Dender EH (27 October 2007)
- Bryan Ruiz for Gent against Lokeren (8 December 2007)
- Elyaniv Barda for Genk against Zulte-Waregem (14 December 2007)
- Bart Van Den Eede for Westerlo against Brussels (19 January 2008)
- Joseph Akpala for Charleroi against Genk (12 April 2008)
- Nicolás Frutos for Anderlecht against Sint-Truiden (26 April 2008)

Cards

First yellow card: Nicolas Pareja for Anderlecht against Mechelen (3 August 2007)
First red card: Wim Mennes for Westerlo against Brussels (4 August 2007)

Top goal scorers

As of May 6, 2008:

† François Sterchele died on May 8, 2008, in a car crash and thus did not complete the full season.^[12]

References

^ "Valère Billen neemt ontslag als hoofdcoach STVV" (in Dutch). demorgen.be. 2007-09-18.
^ "RSCA and Vercauteren end current contract". rsca.be. 2007-11-13.^{[permanent dead link]}
^ "Kreeg vuur bij Dender niet aangewakkerd" (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2007-11-19.
^ "Philippe Vande Walle stapt op bij Charleroi" (in Dutch). knack.be. 2007-12-10. Archived from the original on 2008-05-04. Retrieved 2008-05-14.
^ "Dennis van Wijk nieuwe trainer Sint-Truiden" (in Dutch). nusport.nl. 2007-12-10. Archived from the original on 2008-05-18.
^ "Moeskroen ontslaat trainer Marc Brys" (in Dutch). knack.be. 2007-12-17. Archived from the original on 2008-03-29. Retrieved 2008-05-14.
^ "FC Brussels ontdoet zich van coach Cartier" (in Dutch). voetbalzone.nl. 2007-12-17.
^ "Enzo Scifo nieuwe trainer van Moeskroen" (in Dutch). hln.be. 2007-12-27.
^ "Bergen ontslaat José Riga nu toch" (in Dutch). belgiumsoccer.be. 2008-01-28. Archived from the original on 2008-01-30. Retrieved 2008-05-14.
^ "Albert Cartier nieuwe coach Bergen" (in Dutch). hln.be. 2008-01-28.
^ "Cercle laat Intertoto-ticket aan G.Beerschot" (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2008-05-13. Archived from the original on 2008-05-14. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
^ "François Sterchele (26) killed in car accident". deredactie.be. 2008-05-08. Archived from the original on 2008-05-12. Retrieved 2008-05-09.