Standard Liege v KV Mechelen Preview | Standard missing top scorer for first play-off clash | OneFootball

Standard Liege welcome KV Mechelen on Saturday evening in the opening game of play-off two. The side are set to be without top scorer Andi Zeqiri, who picked up an injury on international duty. The side started the play-offs in top spot, but only one point ahead their opponents KV Mechelen. Both sides will be targeting a top finish to be in with a chance of returning to European football. A return to European football would be a huge financial boost to Standard.

Without Zeqiri, the task of scoring goals will fall to his strike partner Dennis Eckert Ayensa. The 28-year-old German forward will join the side permanently in the summer, with Standard having picked up the purchase option as part of his loan deal. However, the striker hasn’t scored since the 23rd of February against Club Brugge.

Neutrals will be hoping that the sides two meetings so far this season aren’t a preview of what is to come on Saturday afternoon. Both of the sides clashes in the regular season ended 0-0. Mechelen will be reliant on Benito Raman to score their goals during the play-offs. The forward has scored 13 league goals this season, with Nikola Storm their second top scorer on just four. Rob Schoofs missed the last two games of the regular season, but may return for the first game of the play-offs.

GBeNeFN | Ben Jackson