In a resounding statement of intent, OH Leuven thrashed Gent 4-0 in a Jupiler Pro League showdown at the King Power at Den Dreef Stadion on November 2, 2025. The match marked a significant turnaround for OH Leuven, who have struggled this season with only two wins to their name before today. With this victory, they not only secured three critical points but also displayed an offensive prowess that had been largely missing throughout their campaign.
The scoring opened in the 32nd minute when Chukwubuikem Ikwuemesi netted his goal, sending the home crowd into raptures. With a mix of skill and determination, he showcased why he is a pivotal figure for this team as he converted a promising opportunity. Just before halftime, in the 43rd minute, Łukasz Łakomy doubled the lead by slotting home another goal, pushing Gent further into trouble and solidifying Leuven's advantage heading into the locker room.
While Gent entered the match in fourth place and coming off an impressive victory against Standard Liege, today's performance was far from what their fans expected. Struggling to find their rhythm, they found themselves on the back foot for much of the contest. As they tried to respond after halftime, any hopes of a comeback were dashed when Roggerio Nyakossi scored OH Leuven's third goal in the 63rd minute. His strike left Gent's defense scrambling and signaled that this would not be their day.
As if things could not get worse for Gent, Max Dean received a red card during stoppage time-his frustration mirrored across his teammates who could barely muster an effective counterattack throughout the match. The dismissal capped off a disappointing afternoon for Gent as they watched Henok Teklab slot home OH Leuven's fourth goal just minutes later in the 80th minute.
Analyzing both teams' recent form reveals stark contrasts. Prior to this win, OH Leuven had shown signs of life with a decent showing in their previous fixture against Seraing United in the cup just days earlier. A draw against KV Mechelen hinted at improvement despite ongoing challenges in league play. Meanwhile, Gent arrived with high expectations after two strong performances that included scoring five against Patro Eisden just last week.
With this commanding victory over Gent, OH Leuven climbs out of their lowly position near relegation and moves up to 15th place on nine points-a vital boost as they prepare for their next clash away at Cercle Brugge. This result could serve as a turning point for them amidst what has been an inconsistent start to their season.
On the other hand, today's loss leaves Gent, now still sitting fourth on 20 points but without any cushion from teams below them following today's embarrassing defeat. They will need urgent adjustments before facing Genk next week if they are to keep pace with title contenders or risk falling further down the standings.
Reflecting on my pre-match predictions where I speculated about OH Leuven's chances against such stiff competition from Gent-I may have missed the mark entirely! Perhaps I underestimated how resilient these underdogs can be when backed by passionate home support and motivated players eager to change their fortunes.
As both teams look ahead-OH Leuven aiming to build upon this newfound momentum while Gent will need to regroup quickly-the stage is set for intriguing fixtures ahead that could redefine aspirations as we move deeper into this season's Jupiler Pro League action.