Betfair Live Video: Standard to pass tricky Kortrijk test

Belgian's rejoicing as the new season kicks into gear

With action from Sweden and Belgium, Betfair Live Video is the place to be this Saturday for your football fix. Lewis Watson takes a look at the betting...

Orebro vs Halmstad
Saturday 15:00

With both sides struggling at the wrong end of the Swedish Allsvenskan, Halmstad's visit to the Behrn Arena already has a 'six-pointer' feel to it despite being just over half way through the season.

After gaining promotion to the Allsvenskan last season, this campaign was always going to be a relative struggle for the hosts. With three wins in their sixteen outings so far, Alexander Axen's side have had to rely on their seven draws to keep them out of the relegation spots, with the possibility of being sent straight back down in yo-yo fashion. 

Despite their expected struggle for positive results, encouragement can be taken from the form of their strike-force so far. Making the leap up to the big league with relative ease, Kosovo striker Shpetim Hasani has hit the ground running this season netting five times in thirteen outings. 

If the 31-year-old can keep up a reasonable goals-to-games ratio, along with the help of partners Pode and Holmberg, Orebro could well have cause for a push up the standings as we approach the back end of the season. 

After narrowly avoiding the drop last season, visitors Halmstad look to be back in familiar territory at the wrong end of the Allsvenskan. With only fourteen points to their name and a -11 goal difference, HBK can't have any qualms about their league position, but with a run of three home games in four after Saturday's trip to Orebro, boss Jens Gustafsson will target August as a month to try and escape the dangers of the relegation spots. 

With a much-needed win over similarly struggling Gefle last weekend, spirit will be high in the Halmstad camp this week. This coupled with the Icelandic duo of Baldvinsson and Steindorsson looking deadly when given chances, the BollKlubben support will not have written this season off as a failure yet.

Expect a nervy affair at the Behrn Arena with a share of the spoils looking highly likely, but not too useful to either outfit.

Recommended Bets:
Back the draw @ 3.613/5
Back 2-2 @ 14.013/1

Kortrijk vs Standard Liege
Saturday 17:00

After getting off to the perfect start in last weekend's season opener, Standard will be looking to continue their blistering start at the top of the Pro League after putting three past Sporting Charleroi last Friday. With a tricky trip to Kortrijk's Guldensporenstadion this Saturday, Guy Luzon will be under no illusion that these are the types of games Standard will have to win if they are going to knock Anderlecht off their perch.

After a Wednesday night draw against Panathinaikos in the Champions League qualifiers, you could argue that Standard may come into this weekend's fixture with half an eye on Tuesday's return leg. This being said, fitness and freshness shouldn't be an issue for Les Rouches, with Luzon confident his side can compete on more than one front this early on in the campaign. 

With limited activity in the transfer window, last year's second placed finish will still be the minimum target for Standard, despite a very competitive Championship playoff at the back end of last season. News of one notable signing broke this week with Celtic's Tony Watt making a 1.2 million move to the Stade Maurice Dufrasne, after falling out of favour with Neil Lennon last campaign, the twenty-year-old already knows what life is like in Belgium and will look to make an immediate impression when called upon. 

With an eighth placed finish last campaign, Kortrijk have found themselves on the borderline of breaking into the Championship Play-off for the last few seasons. Safely keeping out of relegation trouble since their 2008 promotion, last year saw the birth of a dangerous new strike-force that will surely allow the hosts to kick on this season.

With 28 goals between them, De Smet and Santini were a breath of fresh air to the league last season after their transfers from WB and Zadar respectively. With both strikers looking to add to their impressive tallies of last season and with a more solid defence keeping goals out at the other end, Kortrijk could have a real say at the business end of this league.

This will be the highlight of the Belgian league this weekend, with Standard sneaking a late win by a single goal. 

Recommended Bets:
Back Standard to win @ 2.35/4
Back Standard to win 2-1 @ 10.09/1