Rochefort v Gent: a Belgian Cup round of 32 tie with a taste of revenge

On Sunday 18 October at 13:30, Union Rochefortoise host Gent at the Parc des Roches in the Croky Cup round of 32. For this D1 FFA side, playing in the third tier of Belgian football, it is a chance to face an opponent they already know.

Rochefort v Gent is a rematch: the two clubs met at the same stage of the competition two years ago. Of the sixteen ties that let you bet on the Belgian Cup this weekend, this one already has a story behind it, and this time it will be played in the Famenne region.

Rochefort v Gent: memories of October 2024

On 30 October 2024, Rochefort played in the seventh round of the Belgian Cup for the first time in their history. The draw sent them to the Planet Group Arena, Gent's home ground, where around a thousand Rochefort fans made the trip.

The game ended in an emphatic 7-0 win for the Buffalos. The scoreline took nothing away from a historic day for an amateur club from the province of Namur.

This time, the setting is different. In this round of 32, the amateur club is at home unless its ground does not allow it: Habay-la-Neuve and Nijlen will therefore play away, while Rochefort welcome the leaders to the Parc des Roches. After the draw, Rochefort coach Jeffrey Rentmeister kept things in perspective: “Gent remain one of the best teams in Belgium.”

Rochefort in the Croky Cup: a comeback against Lierse in round six

To get another shot at Gent, Rochefort first had to come through the sixth round, and it was no small task: Union Rochefortoise knocked out Lierse of the Challenger Pro League. Trailing 2-0 at half-time, they won 3-2 thanks to two goals from Mathieu Cornet, who had watched the 7-0 from the stands through injury in 2024.

The Famenne club are one of five amateur sides still involved in this round, alongside Mons, Habay-la-Neuve, Heist and Nijlen. Sixteen of the eighteen Jupiler Pro League clubs enter at this stage, and the draw was seeded so that they could not meet each other. Only Sint-Truiden v Lommel pits two top-flight sides against each other, as Lommel had to come through the sixth round.

The competition's format has changed too. This season, the round of 32 is played at the weekend rather than midweek, and the final will take place after the end of the league season. Sunday's winners return in the round of 16, scheduled for 4 to 6 December. The trophy is held by Union, who beat Anderlecht in last May's final.

Gent between Europe and the league

On the other side, Gent, coached by Rik De Mil since December 2025, face this trip with a crowded fixture list. Three days earlier, on Thursday at 18:45, the Buffalos host Aarhus in their Conference League league-phase opener.

Gent are used to these occasions: they lifted the trophy in 2022, their fourth title in the competition. In the Belgian league, they are unbeaten leaders after eight rounds, with seven wins and a draw, one point clear of Club Brugge and Charleroi. Between the Conference League in midweek and Jupiler Pro League weekends, the cup adds to an already tight schedule: a week after Rochefort, the Buffalos host Anderlecht on Sunday 25 October.

Three days after Europe, this trip to the Famenne could look like a trap for the league leaders. The question is which side De Mil will pick for Rochefort v Gent, between resting some key players and making sure Rochefort do not get the afternoon they have been dreaming of for two years.

How to bet when the leaders visit

For a tie like this, a single bet on the result is still the simplest way into the game. In the cup, a draw after 90 minutes does not yet decide who goes through: extra time, and penalties if needed, settle it. It is worth checking in the rules of your chosen market whether extra time counts.

A cup tie between an amateur club and a top-flight side also follows its own logic: the underdogs play at home, in front of their own fans, with nothing to lose. None of that shows up in a league table.

A two-division gap does not tell the whole story of a cup tie, and the 7-0 of 2024 says nothing about the 2026 edition, played this time in front of the Rochefort crowd. With such a difference in level, knowing how to read odds helps you see what the market really gives the amateur side. Set your budget before checking the odds on our sports betting site in Belgium, and stick to it once the game is under way.