Belgian First Division wrap: Anderlecht move top, Standard smash Lierse

Anderlecht regained their place at the top of the Belgian First Division with a crushing 4-1 win over Charleroi on Saturday.

Charleroi took an early lead after a 13th-minute goal to Onur Kaya, much to the dismay of the crowd at the Stade Constant Vanden Stock, and despite the best efforts of the hosts that was where it stayed at half-time.

But Anderlecht emerged from the break a new side and were back on level terms four minutes after the restart when Tom De Sutter scored.

Congolese striker Junior Kabananga Kalonji gave Anderlecht the lead after 72 minutes and Jonathan Legear and Matias Suarez each scored in the final 10 minutes to complete the win, which restored Aderlecht’s one-point buffer over Racing Genk on top of the league.

Elsewhere on Saturday, Standard Liege moved into fourth place with a 7-0 home rout of second-bottom Lierse.

Ivorian striker Gohi Cyriac scored a hat-trick, Axel Witzel added a brace while Luigi Pieroni and Mehdi Carcela-Gonzalez scored the others in a dark day for Lierse.

Tenth-placed Westerlo played out a 1-1 draw with AS Eupen, who are in 14th position, and sixth-placed Cercle Brugge moved a point clear of Mechelen with their 1-1 draw at home against 12th-placed Germinal Beerschot.

Saturday’s fixture between Kortrijk and Lokeren had to be postponed because of excessive rainfall and snow.