BRUSSELS (Interstat) — A surging Union St-Gilloise will look to extend its dominance over a struggling Dender side when the Belgian First Division A clubs meet Saturday.

The matchup at Stade Joseph Marien pits a home team in strong form against a visitor mired in a lengthy winless streak. Union St-Gilloise enters the contest fresh off a 2-1 victory over Genk on March 7, a result that continued its impressive run. The club has lost just once in its last 10 league matches, a stretch that includes a 1-0 win at Club Brugge and a 2-0 victory over Dender in January.

Dender, meanwhile, is desperate to reverse its fortunes. The team is winless in its last five league games and is coming off a demoralizing 4-1 home defeat to Sint-Truiden on Feb. 21. Its defense has been a particular concern, conceding 14 goals in those five matches. The club’s last point came in a scoreless draw with Anderlecht on Jan. 25.

The recent head-to-head history heavily favors the hosts. Union St-Gilloise has won the last two meetings, both 1-0 and 2-0 victories on the road this season. Dender has not scored against Union in those contests.

A statistical projection from Interstat forecasts a 2-1 victory for Union St-Gilloise, aligning with the recent trend. The simulator’s prediction suggests Dender may find the net, which would be an improvement after being shut out in the last two encounters, but still fall short.

For Union, a win would solidify its position in the upper tier of the table as it builds momentum ahead of a crucial late-season clash against RSC Anderlecht in May. For Dender, the game represents a critical opportunity to halt its slide before hosting Gent in its next league fixture on March 22.

Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. local time (1700 GMT) on March 14 in the Brussels municipality of Forest.