Lokeren-Temse saw off Umm Salal 5-0 in a club friendly on Friday. The Belgian side took control early and never looked back, despite a red card for the visitors in the first half. By the time the whistle blew, the result felt comfortable rather than rushed.
A. Spegelaere opened the scoring at the 25th minute. To be fair, the goal came from a period where Lokeren-Temse were pinning the visitors back. Then at 33 minutes, Umm Salal were reduced to ten men after a red card — not specified in the match data, but the statistics confirm it landed on their side.
After the break, the hosts doubled their advantage. A. Dindane struck at 52 minutes and added a second at 60, his brace giving Lokeren-Temse a two-goal cushion before the hour mark. The visitors, down to ten men, could do little to slow the momentum.
R. Van den Bergh made it 4-0 at 71 minutes, and A. Spegelaere completed his double with a seventh-minute goal at 77. The scoreboard put away at five, the match had already been decided.
Statistics tell the story too. Lokeren-Temse registered 51 attacks to Umm Salal's 20, with seven corners against none. Possession sat at 50-50 on paper, but the numbers suggest the visitors were content to sit deeper after the dismissal.
For Lokeren-Temse, this follows a mixed pre-season. They beat Dender 3-0 on 1 August and Sint-Deney Sports 4-0 on 5 July, but lost to NAC Breda 2-1 and RAA La Louvière 3-2 in between. Umm Salal's recent run offers less comfort — three defeats in their last five friendlies, including a 3-0 loss to Al-Sadd.