DENDERLEEUW, Belgium (Interstat) — Substitute strikers Promise David and Kamiel Van De Perre scored first-half goals to power Union St-Gilloise to a 2-0 victory over Dender in Belgian Cup play on Wednesday afternoon at the DENDER Football Complex.

The visiting Brussels-based side, a top-flight contender, efficiently dispatched its second-division opponent, controlling the match and capitalizing on its chances to advance in the domestic knockout tournament. The result defied the pregame projection from Interstat’s game simulator, which had forecast a 1-1 draw. The same analytics service gave Union St-Gilloise a 93.70 percent probability to win based on its ELO rating system, a forecast the club fulfilled with a professional, if not spectacular, performance.

Union St-Gilloise established dominance early, pinning the home side back and creating several half-chances. The breakthrough came in the 20th minute from an unexpected source. Promise David, who had entered the match as a substitute, found the net to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. The goal shifted the match’s dynamic, forcing Dender to open up in search of an equalizer and leaving itself vulnerable to the counter-attack.

Just before halftime, Union St-Gilloise delivered a decisive blow. Another substitute, Kamiel Van De Perre, doubled the advantage in the 40th minute, effectively putting the game out of reach before the intermission. The two-goal cushion allowed the visiting side to manage the second half with minimal risk, comfortably seeing out the victory without conceding.

The loss extends a difficult start to the season for Dender, which falls to 0-1 in the cup competition and 0-1 across all competitions. The team struggled to generate significant offensive threat against its more seasoned opponent and will look to rebound in its league campaign.

For Union St-Gilloise, the victory marks a successful start to its Belgian Cup campaign, improving its record in the competition to 1-0 and 1-0 overall this season. The performance highlighted the squad’s depth, with impactful contributions from the bench proving the difference. The club will aim to carry this momentum into its upcoming fixtures as it pursues silverware on multiple fronts.

The Belgian Cup, a knockout tournament featuring professional and amateur clubs from across the country, continues with later-round matches scheduled in the coming weeks.