Helmond Sport 0-2 KVC Westerlo | International Club Friendly | 12 July 2026

Belgian Pro League side KVC Westerlo cruised to a comfortable 2-0 victory over Dutch Eerste Divisie outfit Helmond Sport in a pre-season friendly played at the GS Staalwerken Stadion on Sunday evening. Goals in each half from Nicolas Madsen and new signing Lazar Sajčić ensured a solid workout for Westerlo as they ramp up preparations for the 2026-27 season.

Match report

Westerlo dominated proceedings from the outset against a Helmond side still finding their rhythm under new head coach Kevin Hofland. The visitors took the lead in the 23rd minute when Danish midfielder Madsen latched onto a clever through-ball from Griffin Yow and calmly slotted past Helmond goalkeeper Maarten van der Werff. Westerlo continued to control possession in the first half, with Yow and Jordan Bos causing problems down the flanks, while Helmond’s best chance fell to forward Jordan van der Gaag, whose shot was blocked by Westerlo centre-back Maxim Gomis.

The second half saw Westerlo double their advantage in the 67th minute. Substitute striker Sajčić, a summer signing from Slovak side DAC Dunajská Streda, rose highest to meet a corner from Thomas Van den Keybus and headed powerfully into the net. Helmond pushed forward late on but rarely troubled Westerlo goalkeeper Sinan Bolat, who had a quiet evening marshalling a backline that looked well-drilled for so early in pre-season.

Tactical observations

Westerlo lined up in a 4-2-3-1 shape, with new signing Dries Wouters anchoring the midfield alongside Lucas Stassin. The Belgian side’s high press forced Helmond into several errors in their own half, and the width provided by Bos and Yow stretched the home defence effectively. Helmond, by contrast, struggled to build from the back against Westerlo’s aggressive pressing and were limited to speculative long-range efforts. The friendly underlined the gulf in quality between a mid-table Belgian top-flight side and a Dutch second-tier outfit.

Key performers

• Nicolas Madsen (Westerlo): The Danish midfielder scored the opener and dictated the tempo with 112 touches and a 91% pass completion rate.
• Lazar Sajčić (Westerlo): The new striker made an immediate impression with a well-timed header and linked play effectively during his 25-minute cameo.
• Griffin Yow (Westerlo): The American winger was a constant threat, providing the assist for the first goal and winning several free-kicks in dangerous areas.
• Maarten van der Werff (Helmond): Despite conceding twice, the Helmond goalkeeper made six saves to prevent a more lopsided scoreline.

Pre-season context

For Westerlo, this result continues a promising pre-season record. Head coach Timmy Simons will be pleased with his team’s fitness levels and tactical discipline, especially given that several first-team regulars are still building match sharpness. The club faces a busy July with further friendlies against Dutch Eredivisie sides NEC Nijmegen and Go Ahead Eagles before the start of the Belgian Pro League season in late July. Helmond Sport, meanwhile, will take positives from the experience against a higher-level opponent as they gear up for their Eerste Divisie campaign, which kicks off in August. The defeat extends their pre-season winless run to three matches, but Hofland stressed that results in friendlies are secondary to building chemistry and fitness.