VERVIERS, Belgium (Interstat) — Papa Bacary Sy delivered a decisive performance, scoring a goal and adding an assist to lead Stade Vervietois to a 2-1 victory over Flenu in a Belgian Division 2 match on Saturday.

The match at Stade de Bielmont saw the home side capitalize on a strong first half to secure three points, moving them closer to their visitors in a tightly contested league table. With the win, Stade Vervietois improved its Division 2 record to 16 wins, seven losses and four draws. Flenu, despite the defeat, remains just ahead with a record of 17 wins, eight losses and five draws in the competition.

Sy was the catalyst for the home team’s success. He opened the scoring in the 19th minute, finishing a play to give Stade Vervietois an early advantage. He then turned provider in the 35th minute, setting up teammate Marc Lemperez for a goal that doubled the lead before halftime. Lemperez’s strike proved to be the eventual game-winner.

Flenu, which entered the match on a four-game winning streak across all competitions, struggled to break down the Stade Vervietois defense for most of the match. Their lone reply came in the 71st minute when substitute Baptiste Ulens found the net, assisted by fellow substitute Romain Mabille. The goal set up a tense final twenty minutes, but the home side managed to see out the result.

The match was a physical affair, reflected in five yellow cards issued by the officiating crew. Flenu’s Mabille was booked in the 27th minute, followed by Stade Vervietois’ Sy in the 60th. Later cautions went to Stade Vervietois defender Clément Ziemons (69th), Flenu midfielder Audric Manirakiza (76th), and Flenu defender Martin Schillings (89th). Both Manirakiza and Schillings were credited with assists on Ulens’ consolation goal for the visitors.

The result flipped the script from the teams’ previous meeting this season, a 2-2 draw played in Flenu back on Oct. 4. It also defied the pre-match projections from Interstat, whose game simulator had predicted a 1-1 draw and gave Stade Vervietois a 54 percent probability of winning.

For Stade Vervietois, the victory marks a positive response after a disappointing 4-1 loss to Ganshoren in their previous home match. They now look ahead to a road fixture against CS Pays Vert Ostiches-Ath on April 4.

Flenu’s strong recent form, which included a 1-0 win over RUS Binche just six days prior, was halted by this defeat. The team will aim to rebound on April 5 when they host RCS Brainois. The loss narrows the gap between the two sides in the standings as the season enters its final stages, setting up a compelling race in the coming weeks.