2003–04 Belgian First Division

The 2003–04 season of the Belgian First Division was held between August 8, 2003 and May 15, 2004. Sporting Anderlecht became champions on April 24, 2004.

These teams were promoted from the second division at the start of the season:

Relegated teams

These teams were relegated to the second division at the end of the season:

Anderlecht's title success

The battle for the title was not great as Anderlecht had a big lead over their opponents (mainly Club Brugge). However, a bad finish from Anderlecht kept the suspense until the 31st matchday when Club Brugge drew with Mouscron while the team from Brussels also drew (1-1) at Herman Vanderpoortenstadion, the homeground of Lierse.

Battle for Europe

The next week, Club Brugge was sure to enter the UEFA Champions League Preliminary Round with a 1-0 win against Standard Liège, then lying third. In spite of this defeat, Standard managed to qualify for the UEFA Cup as they were 6 points ahead of Mouscron after the 32nd matchday. The suspense was killed after a 1-1 draw against Charleroi the next Saturday.

The relegation dog fight

The end of the league was thus centered on the battle against relegation. Four teams were concerned : R.A.E.C. Mons and Charleroi, which finally saved themselves, R. Antwerp F.C. and K. Beringen-Heusden-Zolder finishing respectively 6 and 5 points adrift.

Final league table

Pos Team Pld Won Drw Lst GF GA Pts GD Notes
1R.S.C. Anderlecht342563772781+50Qualified for 2004-05 UEFA Champions League.[1]
2Club Brugge342266773172+46
3Standard Liège3418115683165+37Qualified for 2004-05 UEFA Cup.
4K.R.C. Genk341789584059+18Qualified for 2004 UEFA Intertoto Cup.
5R.E. Mouscron3415145644259+22
6K.V.C. Westerlo34141010514552+6Qualified for 2004 UEFA Intertoto Cup.
7K.F.C. Germinal Beerschot34111112344044-6
8R.A.A. Louviéroise34101410454644-1
9K.A.A. Gent3481610333440-1Qualified for 2004 UEFA Intertoto Cup.
10K.S.C. Lokeren Oost-Vlaanderen3410915455439-9
11Lierse S.K.3481511334039-7
12K.S.K. Beveren3411518455838-13Qualified for 2004-05 UEFA Cup.
13K. Sint-Truidense V.V.3491114365038-14
14Cercle Brugge K.S.V.3471413285235-24
15R. Charleroi S.C.348917354733-12
16R.A.E.C. Mons3471215295233-23
17K. Beringen-Heusden-Zolder347720366828-32Relegated to Division II.
18R. Antwerp F.C.347621306727-37

[1] Club Brugge competed in the UEFA Cup First Round after being eliminated in the Champions League Third Qualifying Round.

Top goal scorers

Scorer Goals Team
Belgium Luigi Pieroni 28 Mouscron
Belgium Émile Mpenza 21 Standard Liège
Nigeria Tosin Dosunmu 16 Westerlo
Ivory Coast Aruna Dindane 15 Anderlecht
Belgium Gert Verheyen 15 Club Brugge
Peru Andrés Mendoza 14 Club Brugge
Belgium Cédric Roussel 14 Racing Genk

See also

References

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