Alex MacQuoid
This preseason meeting between Ukrainian side Kryvbas and Belgian outfit Lommel SK takes place at Brann Stadion in Bergen on July 7, with both clubs using the summer window to build match sharpness under new tactical ideas. What makes this fixture genuinely interesting is the contrast in recent momentum: Kryvbas have lost their last two matches heading into this game, while Lommel SK arrive without a single competitive game played in the last 30 days, making this essentially a cold start for Lee Johnson’s squad.
Kryvbas coach Patrick van Leeuwen will need more from his attack after his side managed just one goal in each of their last two defeats against Chornomorets and Inhulets, both lower-ranked Ukrainian opponents. Lommel’s Maxim De Cuyper has been one of the more dynamic presences in their recent friendly run, contributing directly in transition play, while for Kryvbas, keep an eye on whoever operates centrally in midfield — the team’s ability to control the tempo has looked inconsistent lately and that role will matter here.
Hot stat: Lommel SK have won four of their last five matches across all competitions, including back-to-back 3-1 results over Beerschot VA — a side with a world clubs ranking of 22,071, admittedly far from elite competition, but the consistency of the scoreline tells you something about Lommel’s attacking output this summer.
| 🏆 Tournament: | International Club Friendly 2026 – July Phase |
| 🏟 Venue: | Brann Stadion, Bergen |
| 🗓️ Date: | 07.07.2026 |
| ⏰ Time: | 14:00 CEST |
Kryvbas vs Lommel SK Prediction
Lommel SK look like the better-value pick here. Their win rate of 57% across 21 matches this year dwarfs Kryvbas’s 33% from 24 games, and their recent form — four wins in the last five — puts them in a clearly better position heading into this neutral-venue friendly. The bookmakers agree, giving Lommel a 45% implied win probability against Kryvbas’s 33%, and at odds of 2.00 with Bovada, there’s still reasonable value in backing the Belgian side outright.
Kryvbas’s style under van Leeuwen has shown some attacking ambition — they beat Veres 3-1 and held Shakhtar Donetsk to a narrow 2-3 defeat — but they’ve been leaking goals consistently. Their back line conceded in all five of their recent matches on record. Lommel, by contrast, have been winning games without conceding excessively, and their 3-2 win over Dender in a double-header setup suggests they can grind out results even in even contests.
We think this match stays relatively tight in the first half with Lommel pulling ahead as the game opens up. A low-to-mid scoring game is likely, with Lommel finding the net at least once.
- Main prediction: Lommel SK to win at 2.00
- Secondary bet: Over 2.5 goals — both sides have shown a tendency to be involved in open matches, and preseason conditions favor attacking freedom
- Value angle: Both Teams to Score – Yes, given Kryvbas’s attacking persistence and Lommel’s occasional defensive lapses (conceded in their Dender draw)
Neither team carries a particularly disciplined defensive structure into this fixture. Kryvbas have been conceding in bunches lately, and Lommel’s opponents have managed to score against them too. Honestly, a 2-1 or 3-1 scoreline in Lommel’s favor feels like the most natural outcome here.
| 🔥Hot Tip: | Lommel SK to Win & Over 1.5 Goals |
| ⚽Total Goals: | Over 2.5 |
| 💥Both Teams To Score: | Yes |
| 🎯Total Corners: | Over 7.5 |
Team Analysis
Kryvbas come into this match in poor form. Back-to-back defeats to Chornomorets (1-2) and Inhulets (1-2) — both sides rated well below Kryvbas in world ranking terms — is a real concern. The Inhulets loss is the more alarming one: their opponent had lost five straight before that game and carried a patchy record of draws and defeats going back several weeks. Conceding two goals to a side in that kind of shape, while only managing one yourself, points to structural issues at both ends. The earlier draw with FC Oleksandriya (1-1) and the defeat to Shakhtar (2-3) at least showed some attacking intent, but the trend is pointing downward. Van Leeuwen hasn’t found the right balance yet, and this friendly will be another test of whether the squad can hold shape against a physically prepared opponent.
Lommel SK’s recent friendly schedule has been busy and productive. They beat Beerschot VA 3-1 twice, took down RFC Liege 2-1, won 3-2 against Dender in one meeting, and drew 0-0 in the second. Five matches, four wins, one draw, zero losses. Lee Johnson has clearly been getting his squad into a rhythm and the results reflect a team that knows its system. The Dender draw is the only blemish, and even that came after they’d already beaten the same opponent 3-2 earlier in the same training block. Lommel haven’t been tested by elite opposition — Beerschot VA are ranked 22,071 in the world — but the consistency of their output across multiple games in a short window is worth respecting.
🚨Check out our dedicated Kryvbas vs Lommel SK stats page for more info.
Pre-game Odds and Win Probability: Lommel SK the Favourite
- Moneyline Kryvbas 2.75 | Lommel SK 2.00
- Draw 4.10
- Over/Under Over 2.5 N/A | Under 2.5 N/A
- BTTS (both teams to score) Yes N/A | No N/A
The Lommel SK price of 2.00 is fair given their form advantage, but it’s not a screaming value bet on its own. Kryvbas at 2.75 is probably too generous given how poor their recent results have been, and the draw at 4.10 feels about right for a friendly context where both sides may rotate heavily. We think the Lommel win at evens is the cleanest single bet here. Backing them in a combined market — win and over 1.5 goals — might push the value up slightly without taking on excessive risk.
Possible Starting Lineups
Kryvbas Possible Starting Eleven
- GK: Dmytro Riznyk
- DF: Oleksandr Svarok, Oleksiy Kashchuk, Vitaliy Mykolenko, Denys Popov
- MF: Vladyslav Kulach, Artem Bondarenko, Serhiy Buletsa
- FW: Oleksandr Nazarenko, Vladyslav Supryaha, Dmytro Topalov
Van Leeuwen has been working with a 4-3-3 shape through the preseason, and there’s no strong reason to deviate from that here. Supryaha is the most dangerous forward in the squad when given space in behind, but he’s been starved of service in the last two matches. Buletsa in midfield will be the player to watch — he carries the ball well and can drive forward, which Kryvbas will need if they’re going to create anything against an organized Lommel defensive block. The back four has been leaking goals and may need a more cautious approach to avoid being caught on the break.
Lommel SK Possible Starting Eleven
- GK: Stef Peeters
- DF: Mathis Cherki-Idir, Tibo Persyn, Thomas Claes, Maxim De Cuyper
- MF: Bryan Verboom, Arne Nijs, Daam Foulon
- FW: Tibo Persyn, Stef Peeters, Arno Verschueren
Lee Johnson tends to set his side up in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 depending on the opposition, and against a Kryvbas side with defensive problems, a more attacking shape makes sense. De Cuyper on the left is the standout name — his ability to combine with the wide forward and get forward quickly has been a feature of Lommel’s best moments this preseason. Verboom in the holding role gives the team its defensive base and allows the more attack-minded midfielders to push higher. Lommel’s squad depth is a factor too; they can rotate without a significant drop in quality, which matters in a friendly setting.
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Lommel SK. Source: Official Facebook. Edited photo
TipsGG Match Prediction
Lommel SK are the pick here, and we’re not hedging on that. Their year-long win rate of 57%, their unbeaten run across five recent friendlies, and the clear contrast with Kryvbas’s back-to-back defeats to lower-ranked Ukrainian opposition all point in the same direction. Kryvbas have shown they can score — the 3-1 win over Veres and the narrow loss to Shakhtar prove that — but their defensive issues are too consistent to ignore. Lommel have been winning games by scoring first and managing the scoreline, and we expect something similar here. A 2-1 win for Lommel feels like the most probable outcome, with both teams scoring and the total landing over 2.5. At Brann Stadion in Bergen, with no crowd pressure and both teams in preseason mode, the game may take a while to open up, but Lommel’s quality and rhythm should tell in the second half.
