SERAING, Belgium (Interstat) — Moustapha Diop scored in the 44th minute and Seraing held on to beat RFC Liege 1-0 on Friday in a football match at Stade du Pairay. The home side improved to 2-1 in the competition and 3-2 across all competitions. RFC Liege fell to 0-3 in the competition and 1-4-1 overall.

The game turned early when RFC Liege’s Ondo-Eyi H. was sent off in the 20th minute, leaving the visitors to play with 10 men for most of the match. Seraing could not break through immediately, but its pressure produced the opening goal shortly before halftime. Alexandre Tunkadi supplied the assist and Diop finished from the play in the 44th minute. It was the only goal Seraing needed. After the break, Seraing protected the lead and limited RFC Liege’s chances to equalize. RFC Liege had to manage the match a man short, and Seraing eventually made the advantage count. The sending-off forced RFC Liege to reorganize, and Seraing spent long stretches probing for an opening before Diop’s finish gave the home side the lead.

The match was heavily booked. Nine yellow cards were issued, five to RFC Liege and four to Seraing. RFC Liege’s Ngawa P. was cautioned in the seventh minute, and teammate Paulet S. was booked in the 36th. N’jo E. and Shkurti K. both received yellow cards in first-half stoppage time. Qevani A. was booked in the 84th. For Seraing, Scarpinati M. was cautioned in the 41st, Lockman T. in the 65th, Lawson Y. in the 86th and Namri A. in second-half stoppage time. The red card to Ondo-Eyi H. was the only dismissal. Paulet S. was substituted at halftime after his booking.

RFC Liege used five substitutions, including a pair at halftime. Seraing made three changes after the break. The visitors could not find a tying goal, and Seraing held through the closing minutes. The win gave Seraing a second victory in three competition matches, while RFC Liege remained without a competition win. Seraing is now 3-2 across all competitions. RFC Liege is 1-4-1 overall. Seraing’s competition record moved to two wins and one loss, while RFC Liege’s competition record moved to three losses. RFC Liege’s best hopes of a comeback came after several second-half changes, but Seraing’s back line held firm in the final minutes.

Seraing entered the match after a 3-1 win over Virton. RFC Liege was coming off a 3-2 loss to Patro Eisden. RFC Liege also had recent losses to RAAL La Louviere and Beerschot VA, along with a draw against Bissen and a win over Wellen. More specifically, RFC Liege had lost 4-0 at RAAL La Louviere and 5-1 at Beerschot VA. Seraing had lost to Waregem and Gent U23 before its win over Virton, including a 3-0 loss at Waregem and a 3-2 loss at Gent U23. Seraing had beaten Knokke 5-2 earlier in the season. Those results framed a match in which Seraing’s one-goal margin proved enough.

The final stages included more substitutions and bookings as RFC Liege searched for a response. Seraing’s Faye S. entered in the 60th, Mabani F. in the 67th and Messoussa A. in the 76th. RFC Liege brought on Reynaerts S. in the 71st and Ruiz Atil K. and Guillaume V. in the 82nd. The match ended with Seraing ahead 1-0. Both teams made all of their listed changes before the final whistle, and the remaining time passed without another goal.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a 2-2 final score, and its ELO system gave Seraing a 64.9 percent probability to win. Seraing was installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -0.5. The over-under line was 2.5, and the total score of 1 went over that line.