The 2012–13 football season in Belgium , which is the 110th season of competitive football in the country and runs from July 2012 until June 2013.
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Main article: Belgium national football team
With no less than four players winning individual awards as best player in their league following conclusion of the 2011–12 season , namely Eden Hazard (in France), Vincent Kompany (in England), Kevin Mirallas (in Greece) and Jan Vertonghen (in the Netherlands), questions were raised how it was possible that Belgium had not managed to qualify for the UEFA Euro 2012 tournament. Moreover, this raised the belief that Belgium would qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup , even with rather inexperienced head coach Marc Wilmots in charge after Georges Leekens quit in May 2012.
In a friendly before the actual qualifying campaign, the Red Devils managed to beat the Netherlands by a score of 4-2, with Dries Mertens the man of the match, scoring once and giving two assists. For once, a decent start was made, as Belgium won in Wales and kept Croatia to a 1-1 draw at home. The team continued on their good spirits, following up with a 0-3 win in Serbia , the biggest ever loss for the Serbian team, and a 2-0 win at home against Scotland . This left Belgium and Croatia together in the lead with 10 points out of 12 and with the other four teams trailing 6 or more points behind it already looked like they would be battling it out for first place. Also, by November Belgium moved into position 20 on the FIFA World Rankings , their highest position since 2004. Belgium finished the year 2012 with a 2-1 friendly loss in Romania .
In 2013, Belgium started with a 2-1 win against Slovakia , due to a last minute goal by Dries Mertens , before winning twice against Macedonia to keep their unbeaten status in the FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign. In June, while having risen to a record high 12th position in the FIFA World Rankings, Belgium first beat United States 2-4 in a friendly in Cleveland , before winning their final qualifying match at home against Serbia 2-1. At the same time, Croatia lost at home to Scotland, allowing Belgium to take a three-point lead.
Wales v Belgium
Belgium v Croatia
Belgium v Scotland
Friendlies [ ]
Belgium v Netherlands
Promotion and relegation [ ]
Team promoted to 2012–13 Belgian Pro League
Teams relegated from 2011–12 Belgian Pro League
15th Place: Westerlo (lost playoff )
16th Place: Sint-Truiden
Teams promoted to 2012–13 Belgian Second Division
Teams relegated from 2011-12 Belgian Second Division
16th Place, lost playoff: Tienen
17th Place: Dender EH
18th Place: Wetteren
League competitions [ ]
Belgian First Division [ ]
Belgian Second Division [ ]
Belgian Second Division Final Round [ ]
Belgian Third Division [ ]
Belgian Third Division A [ ]
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
1
Hoogstraten VV (P)
34
22
8
4
73
31
+42
74
2
KRC Mechelen (E)
34
18
10
6
55
37
+18
64
3
Verbroedering Geel-Meerhout (E, P)
34
17
10
7
65
37
+28
61
4
K. Rupel Boom FC
34
16
8
10
56
45
+11
56
5
34
15
7
12
50
46
+4
52
6
34
14
9
11
57
38
+19
51
6
Torhout 1992 KM
34
14
9
11
42
37
+5
51
8
KFC Vigor Wuitens Hamme
34
12
12
10
49
44
+5
48
9
34
12
10
12
54
42
+12
46
10
34
11
12
11
51
53
−2
45
11
KSV Temse
34
11
10
13
39
51
−12
43
12
K. Standaard Wetteren
34
10
12
12
46
56
−10
42
13
KMSK Deinze (E)
34
10
9
15
51
60
−9
39
13
34
10
9
15
44
56
−12
39
15
KV Turnhout
34
9
7
18
53
66
−13
34
15
KFC Izegem
34
9
7
18
49
67
−18
34
17
KSK Ronse (R)
34
8
7
19
47
73
−26
31
18
K. Racing Waregem (R)
34
8
4
22
42
84
−42
28
Source:[citation needed ] (E) Entered promotion playoff; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Belgian Third Division B [ ]
Pos
Team
Pld
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
1
R. Excelsior Virton (P)
36
23
10
3
76
28
+48
79
2
(E)
36
22
8
6
73
37
+36
74
3
K. Patro Eisden Maasmechelen (E)
36
18
13
5
63
36
+27
67
4
UR La Louvière Centre
36
18
9
9
70
34
+36
63
5
36
14
10
12
51
43
+8
52
5
36
14
10
12
58
53
+5
52
7
36
14
9
13
61
52
+9
51
7
36
14
9
13
50
51
−1
51
9
FCV Dender EH
36
13
12
11
57
47
+10
51
9
KVK Tienen (R)
36
13
12
11
50
44
+6
51
11
36
14
8
14
52
58
−6
50
12
(E)
36
13
8
15
52
57
−5
47
13
K. Diegem Sport
36
12
9
15
58
56
+2
45
14
RFC Tournai
36
12
7
17
46
51
−5
43
15
36
11
10
15
54
59
−5
43
16
RCS Verviétois
36
9
14
13
42
54
−12
41
17
R. Union Saint-Gilloise
36
9
11
16
46
53
−7
38
18
(R)
36
6
8
22
37
77
−40
26
19
(R)
36
3
1
32
12
128
−116
10
Source:[citation needed ] (E) Entered promotion playoff; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Third division play-off [ ]
All teams marked E entered a promotion playoff.
Only Verbroedering Geel-Meerhout succeeded in being promoted to the 2013–14 Belgian Second Division .
Transfers [ ]
Main article: List of Belgian football transfers summer 2012
European Club results [ ]
Champions Anderlecht and runners-up Club Brugge start in the qualifying rounds of the Champions League , while league numbers three and four, Genk and Gent play in the Europa League together with cup winners Lokeren .
Date
Team
Competition
Round
Leg
Opponent
Location
Score
Belgian Team Goalscorers
19 July 2012
Gent
Europa League
Qual. Round 2
Leg 1, Away
Differdange
Stade du Thillenberg , Differdange
0-1
Arzo
26 July 2012
Gent
Europa League
Qual. Round 2
Leg 2, Home
Differdange
Jules Ottenstadion , Ghent
3-2
Melli , Conté , Kola
1 August 2012
Anderlecht
Champions League
Qual. Round 3
Leg 1, Home
Ekranas
Constant Vanden Stock Stadium , Anderlecht
5-0
De Sutter , Kanu , Mbokani (2), Jovanović
1 August 2012
Club Brugge
Champions League
Qual. Round 3
Leg 1, Away
Copenhagen
Parken Stadium , Copenhagen
0-0
2 August 2012
Genk
Europa League
Qual. Round 3
Leg 1, Home
Aktobe
Cristal Arena , Genk
2-1
Vossen , Joseph-Monrose
2 August 2012
Gent
Europa League
Qual. Round 3
Leg 1, Away
Videoton
Sóstói Stadion , Székesfehérvár
1-0
8 August 2012
Anderlecht
Champions League
Qual. Round 3
Leg 2, Away
Ekranas
Aukštaitija Stadium , Panevėžys
0-6
Kljestan , Praet , Iakovenko , De Sutter , Molins , Canesin
8 August 2012
Club Brugge
Champions League
Qual. Round 3
Leg 2, Home
Copenhagen
Jan Breydel Stadium , Bruges
2-3
Figueras , Odjidja
9 August 2012
Genk
Europa League
Qual. Round 3
Leg 2, Away
Aktobe
Aktobe Central Stadium , Aktobe
1-2
Benteke , Buffel
9 August 2012
Gent
Europa League
Qual. Round 3
Leg 2, Home
Videoton
Jules Ottenstadion , Ghent
0-3
21/22 August 2012
Anderlecht
Champions League
Play-off Round
Leg 1, Away
AEL Limassol
Tsirion Stadium , Limassol
2-1
Mbokani
23 August 2012
Club Brugge
Europa League
Play-off Round
Leg 1, Away
Debrecen
Stadion Oláh Gábor Út , Debrecen
0-3
Blondel , Refaelov , Bacca
23 August 2012
Genk
Europa League
Play-off Round
Leg 1, Away
Luzern
Swissporarena , Lucerne
2-1
Vossen
23 August 2012
Lokeren
Europa League
Play-off Round
Leg 1, Home
Viktoria Plzeň
King Baudouin Stadium , Brussels
2-1
Harbaoui , Mij. Marić
28 August 2012
Anderlecht
Champions League
Play-off Round
Leg 2, Home
AEL Limassol
Constant Vanden Stock Stadium , Anderlecht
2-0
Mbokani , Iakovenko
30 August 2012
Club Brugge
Europa League
Play-off Round
Leg 2, Home
Debrecen
Jan Breydel Stadium , Bruges
4-1
Larsen , Vázquez , Tchité , Bacca
30 August 2012
Genk
Europa League
Play-off Round
Leg 2, Home
Luzern
Cristal Arena , Genk
2-0
Fernández , Masika
30 August 2012
Lokeren
Europa League
Play-off Round
Leg 2, Away
Viktoria Plzeň
Stadion města Plzně , Plzeň
1-0
18 September 2012
Anderlecht
Champions League
Group Stage
Matchday 1, Away
AC Milan
San Siro , Milan
0-0
20 September 2012
Club Brugge
Europa League
Group Stage
Matchday 1, Away
Bordeaux
Stade Chaban-Delmas , Bordeaux
4-0
20 September 2012
Genk
Europa League
Group Stage
Matchday 1, Home
Videoton
Cristal Arena , Genk
3-0
Vossen , Buffel , De Ceulaer
3 October 2012
Anderlecht
Champions League
Group Stage
Matchday 2, Home
Málaga
Constant Vanden Stock Stadium , Anderlecht
0-3
4 October 2012
Club Brugge
Europa League
Group Stage
Matchday 2, Home
Marítimo
Jan Breydel Stadium , Bruges
2-0
Bacca , Vleminckx
4 October 2012
Genk
Europa League
Group Stage
Matchday 2, Away
Basel
St. Jakob-Park , Basel
2-2
De Ceulaer , Vossen
24 October 2012
Anderlecht
Champions League
Group Stage
Matchday 3, Away
Zenit Saint Petersburg
Petrovsky Stadium , Saint Petersburg
0-1
25 October 2012
Club Brugge
Europa League
Group Stage
Matchday 3, Away
Newcastle United
St James' Park , Newcastle
0-1
25 October 2012
Genk
Europa League
Group Stage
Matchday 3, Home
Sporting CP
Cristal Arena , Genk
2-0
De Ceulaer , Barda
6 November 2012
Anderlecht
Champions League
Group Stage
Matchday 4, Home
Zenit Saint Petersburg
Constant Vanden Stock Stadium , Anderlecht
1-0
Mbokani
8 November 2012
Club Brugge
Europa League
Group Stage
Matchday 4, Home
Newcastle United
Jan Breydel Stadium , Bruges
2-2
Tričkovski , Jørgensen
8 November 2012
Genk
Europa League
Group Stage
Matchday 4, Away
Sporting CP
Estádio José Alvalade , Lisbon
1-1
Plet
21 November 2012
Anderlecht
Champions League
Group Stage
Matchday 5, Home
AC Milan
Constant Vanden Stock Stadium , Anderlecht
1-3
De Sutter
22 November 2012
Club Brugge
Europa League
Group Stage
Matchday 5, Home
Bordeaux
Jan Breydel Stadium , Bruges
1-2
Lestienne
22 November 2012
Genk
Europa League
Group Stage
Matchday 5, Away
Videoton
Sóstói Stadion , Székesfehérvár
1-0
Barda
4 December 2012
Anderlecht
Champions League
Group Stage
Matchday 6, Away
Málaga
La Rosaleda Stadium , Málaga
2-2
Jovanović , Mbokani
6 December 2012
Club Brugge
Europa League
Group Stage
Matchday 6, Away
Marítimo
Estádio dos Barreiros , Funchal
2-1
Refaelov
6 December 2012
Genk
Europa League
Group Stage
Matchday 6, Home
Basel
Cristal Arena , Genk
0-0
14 February 2013
Genk
Europa League
Round of 32
Leg 1, Away
Stuttgart
Mercedes-Benz Arena , Stuttgart
1-1
Plet
21 February 2013
Genk
Europa League
Round of 32
Leg 2, Home
Stuttgart
Cristal Arena , Genk
0-2
Other honours [ ]
European qualification for 2013-14 summary [ ]
See also [ ]
References [ ]