Despite losing important members of the club last week, F91 Dudelange managed to keep up their good form by extending their winning run to six games in all competitions, thanks to a derby win against Progrès Niederkorn.

The most successful Luxembourgish club of the 21st century faced two sudden obstacles in their preparation for the upcoming clash: Oege-Sietse van Lingen announced his intention to return to his native Netherlands, and assistant manager Massimo Martino will be taking a leave for family reasons.
 
Although van Lingen never got the chance to prove himself in the team’s current system, he had a promising future ahead of him in the country after exploding onto the scene with Victoria Rosport two seasons ago. He then became the protagonist of F91’s European campaign after switching clubs in the summer, but his influence waned rapidly and he found himself on the bench by the time current manager Marco Martino arrived at the helm.
 
Despite changes on and off the pitch, the team looked perfectly on track when they hosted the Wasps on Sunday afternoon at the Jos Haupert stadium. A disciplined defensive display provided the solid foundations for the possession-based football that suits this squad more than any other in the country right now – who proved to be unbeatable once again.
 
Evan Rotundo’s strike took the lead for Dudelange early in the second half. Even though a red card to winger Mehdi Kirch reduced the team to 10 men, the outcome of the match was never in doubt. These three points marked F91’s fourth win in their last five games, with a solitary draw against Mondorf being the only exception.

Racing fend off Mondercange to maintain perfect home record

One of the longest ongoing winless runs in European football belongs to perennial strugglers Mondercange, who only narrowly survived the drop in the last two seasons in a row, and had a flurry of new signings in the summer intended to shake things up and revitalise the dressing room ahead of their third season in the top flight since gaining promotion.
 
However, things have not quite gone according to the plan so far. In fact, it has been the polar opposite. The majority of the new arrivals are yet to cement their place in the team while the first eleven games have yielded eleven straight losses.
 
The latest of these results have been particularly disappointing. Against a fierce Racing side living a renaissance under newly-appointed manager Yannick Kakoko, an upset was never really on the cards. That is, until French winger Thomas Robert flipped the script with a quick brace on either side of half-time.
 
With 60 minutes played, the bottom-placed away side were still in the two-goal lead. Enter Yann Mabella. The former Mannheim and Virton striker, also a full Congo international, contributed with a hat-trick in the last half-hour to turn the game on its head, with Okpo Mazié also chipping in with a goal and an assist to set the final 5-2 scoreline.
 
A game that started so promising unravelled ruthlessly due to minor lapses of concentration and defensive organisation from Mondercange. The signs under new head coach Joris di Gregorio (once a striker himself) are pointing towards a brave team doing what they are best at, open to take risks against stronger opposition. The idea is admirable on paper, but the execution has yet to prove successful enough for a club in such serious trouble. As it stands, they are 10 points away from safety.
 
Racing Union are in fourth place, with a chance to step on the podium if they beat Niederkorn at a previously-postponed match on 30 October.

Around the pitches

Swift Hesperange opened the weekend in style, coming out victorious from the only Saturday evening match in Strassen. Late goals from Ambroise Gboho and Dominik Stolz ensured the Holleschbierg team could take three points from one of the hardest away days of the season.
 
Differdange keep breaking new records and wandering into unchartered territories: 10 wins and a draw so far, and only one goal conceded. Their latest victims were Victoria Rosport, who conceded to their former player Adham El Idrissi, besides routine scorer Jorginho and veteran attacker Joca.
 
The battle of the newcomers in Rodange ended in a home defeat as new manager Mehdi El Alaoui watched his side suffer a second consecutive loss under his tenure. Ten-man SC Bettembourg came from behind to win the game in the second half, inspired by goals from Donovan Bonet and Teddy Bernardo.
 
Wiltz 71’s upwards momentum took a hit against Jeunesse Esch. The record champions were already two goals up shortly after half-time, but a defiant Wiltz side showed incredible mental strength to equalise through their dangerous attacking force. To their dismay, the sucker punch was delivered by Almir Klica of the Old Lady, who thus returned from the Ardennes with a valuable win to end Wiltz’s three-game unbeaten run.
 
Union Titus Pétange are not quite the team neutral fans enjoy the most this year. Their previous five games featured five goals combined, Union only scoring two of them. This time, even a struggling and penniless Fola Esch kept a clean sheet against them (for the first time in 2024/25). Impressive from the Eschers but upsetting for UTP.
 
US Mondorf continue to show their striking consistency in beating inferior opponents on paper. Newly-promoted Hostert were the latest team to suffer a defeat to the Angry Goats, still without the services of top scorer Kenan Avdusinović. Mondorf find themselves in seventh after the win, a single point off Strassen.