Royale Union SG vs Dender

Union Saint-Gilloise extended their grip on the Belgian Pro League summit with a composed 2-0 home win over bottom side Dender at the Stade Joseph Mariën on Saturday. The league leaders had to be patient against a stubborn visiting defence before finding their breakthrough after the break. Mateo Biondic opened the scoring on 59 minutes, finishing smartly to finally reward the hosts' pressure. He was replaced shortly after by Kevin Rodriguez — a substitution that paid off handsomely. Rodriguez needed just 17 minutes on the pitch to double the advantage, netting in the 80th minute to kill the contest. Dender's Marsoni Sambu had picked up a yellow card moments earlier as frustration set in. The victory lifts Union SG to 63 points at the top of the table after 29 rounds, while Dender remain anchored to the bottom on 19 points in what looks an increasingly bleak relegation battle.