2016–17 Belgian Second Amateur Division

Belgian Second Amateur Division
Season	2016–17
Champions	Knokke, Berchem Sport and Châtelet
Promoted	Knokke, Berchem Sport, Châtelet and Aalst
Relegated	Halle, Menen, Grimbergen, Woluwe-Zaventem, Couvin-Mariembourg, Givry, Charleroi Fleurus and Namur
	← 2015–16 Third Division 2017–18 →

The 2016–17 Belgian Second Amateur Division is the inaugural season of the division in its current format, as it replaces the former Belgian Third Division and is now placed at the fourth-tier of football in Belgium.

The division consists of three separate leagues, each containing 16 teams. Leagues A and B consist of teams with a license from the Voetbalfederatie Vlaanderen (VFV, the Dutch speaking wing of the Belgian FA), while league C contains teams with a license from the Association des Clubs Francophones de Football (ACFF, the French speaking wing of the RBFA). The champions from each of the three leagues will promote to the 2017–18 Belgian First Amateur Division. The fixtures were announced on 5 July 2016.^[1]^[2]

For the inaugural season the following teams will participate:

The 14 teams in each of the groups A and B of the 2015–16 Belgian Third Division that either did not apply for a Belgian remunerated football license, did not qualify in the top two for direct promotion or did not win promotion through the promotion play-offs.
20 teams promoted from the 2015–16 Belgian Fourth Division.

Belgian Second Amateur Division A

Locations of the 2016–17 Belgian Second Amateur Division A teams

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or relegation
1	Knokke (P)	30	23	3	4	73	25	+48	72	Promotion to the 2017–18 Belgian First Amateur Division
2	Petegem^[a]	30	17	7	6	60	44	+16	58
3	Aalst (P)	30	17	5	8	55	37	+18	56	Qualification to Promotion play-offs VFV
4	Izegem^[a]	30	16	5	9	53	42	+11	53
5	Sint-Eloois-Winkel	30	15	8	7	55	30	+25	53	Qualification to Promotion play-offs VFV
6	Brakel	30	12	7	11	59	51	+8	43	Qualification to Promotion play-offs VFV
7	Temse^[a]	30	13	3	14	38	45	−7	42
8	Gent-Zeehaven	30	11	8	11	46	43	+3	41	Qualification to Promotion play-offs VFV
9	Torhout	30	11	6	13	36	45	−9	39
10	Gullegem	30	10	7	13	46	52	−6	37
11	Sint-Niklaas	30	9	8	13	45	49	−4	35
12	Harelbeke	30	10	4	16	36	45	−9	34
13	Westhoek	30	9	7	14	40	56	−16	34
14	Bornem	30	8	10	12	31	39	−8	34	Qualification to relegation play-offs
15	Halle (R)	30	5	8	17	27	55	−28	23	Relegation to the 2017–18 Belgian Third Amateur Division
16	Menen (R)	30	4	4	22	35	77	−42	16	Relegation to the 2017–18 Belgian Third Amateur Division

Updated to match(es) played on 13 May 2017. Source: https://int.soccerway.com/national/belgium/third-division/20162017/group-a/r36768/
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:

^ ^a ^b ^c Petegem, Izegem and Temse did not apply for (or were not awarded) a Belgian remunerated football license and are thus not allowed to play in the 2017-18 Belgian First Amateur Division. As a result, the vacant places in the promotion play-offs VFV were taken by the highest finishers not already eligible: Brakel and Gent-Zeehaven.

Belgian Second Amateur Division B

Locations of the 2016–17 Belgian Second Amateur Division B teams

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or relegation
1	Berchem Sport (P)	30	20	8	2	65	24	+41	68	Promotion to the 2017–18 Belgian First Amateur Division
2	Tessenderlo	30	21	3	6	61	38	+23	66	Qualification to Promotion play-offs VFV
3	Rupel Boom	30	15	7	8	55	38	+17	52	Qualification to Promotion play-offs VFV
4	Spouwen-Mopertingen^[a]	30	15	5	10	54	56	−2	50
5	Wijgmaal^[a]	30	12	8	10	45	42	+3	44
6	Bocholt^[a]	30	10	11	9	44	39	+5	41
7	Zwarte Leeuw^[a]	30	12	4	14	39	56	−17	40
8	Londerzeel^[a]	30	10	8	12	46	39	+7	38
9	Hoogstraten^[a]	30	11	4	15	51	60	−9	37
10	Hades^[a]	30	11	4	15	45	60	−15	37
11	Overijse^[a]	30	11	3	16	53	59	−6	36
12	Cappellen^[a]	30	8	12	10	41	42	−1	36
13	Duffel^[a]	30	10	5	15	53	56	−3	35
14	Tienen-Hageland	30	8	6	16	29	45	−16	30	Qualification to relegation play-offs
15	Grimbergen (R)	30	7	8	15	35	46	−11	29	Relegation to the 2017–18 Belgian Third Amateur Division
16	Woluwe-Zaventem (R)	30	7	8	15	46	62	−16	29	Relegation to the 2017–18 Belgian Third Amateur Division

Updated to match(es) played on 13 May 2017. Source: https://int.soccerway.com/national/belgium/third-division/20162017/vfv-b/r37998/
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j Besides Berchem Sport, Tessenderlo and Rupel-Boom, no other teams applied for (or were awarded) a Belgian remunerated football license although several were eligible to participate based on their finishing position. As a result, these teams are not allowed to play in the 2017-18 Belgian First Amateur Division and therefore two places in the promotion play-offs VFV were vacant.

Belgian Second Amateur Division C

Locations of the 2016–17 Belgian Second Amateur Division C teams

League table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Promotion or relegation
1	Châtelet (P)	30	21	7	2	67	32	+35	70	Promotion to the 2017–18 Belgian First Amateur Division
2	RFC Liège	30	19	8	3	66	30	+36	65	Qualification to Promotion play-offs ACFF
3	Olympic Charleroi	30	15	6	9	61	46	+15	51
4	La Louvière Centre	30	13	11	6	54	35	+19	50
5	Hamoir^[a]	30	12	8	10	50	49	+1	44
6	Acrenoise^[a]	30	12	6	12	48	48	0	42
7	Solières^[a]	30	11	9	10	52	48	+4	42
8	Walhain^[a]	30	11	8	11	52	53	−1	41
9	Union La Calamine^[a]	30	11	7	12	65	59	+6	40
10	Waremme^[a]	30	12	2	16	60	58	+2	38
11	Ciney^[a]	30	9	10	11	56	57	−1	37
12	Meux^[a]	30	10	6	14	53	51	+2	36
13	Couvin-Mariembourg (R)	30	9	6	15	54	66	−12	33	Relegation to the 2017–18 Belgian Third Amateur Division
14	Givry (R)	30	7	9	14	39	60	−21	30
15	Charleroi Fleurus (R)	30	6	8	16	37	77	−40	26
16	Namur (R)	30	3	7	20	32	77	−45	16

Updated to match(es) played on 16 May 2017. Source: https://int.soccerway.com/national/belgium/third-division/20162017/group-b/r36769/
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h Besides RFC Liège, Olympic Charleroi and La Louvière Centre, no other teams applied for (or were awarded) a Belgian remunerated football license although several were eligible to participate based on their finishing position. As a result, these teams are not allowed to play in the 2017-18 Belgian First Amateur Division and therefore one place in the promotion play-offs ACFF was vacant.

Promotion play-offs

Promotion play-offs VFV

The teams finishing in second place in the Second Amateur Division A and Second Amateur Division B will take part in a promotion playoff first round together with three period winners from both divisions. These 8 teams from the VFV will play the first round of a promotion-playoff, with two teams qualifying for the Promotion play-offs Final. In division A, the first period was won by Petegem, while the second and third periods were won by Knokke. In division B, Tessenderlo won the first period, while periods two and three were won by Berchem Sport.^[3]

In division A, with the promotion of Knokke and the fact that Petegem did not apply for a remunerated license, the four participants were simply the highest finishers in the standings that had applied for a license: Aalst (3rd), Sint-Eloois-Winkel (5th), Brakel (6th) and Gent-Zeehaven (8th). In division B, no teams outside the top two applied for a license except for Rupel Boom. As a result only Tessenderlo and Rupel Boom took place in the play-offs while the two other places were not used. Therefore in the draw for round one of these play-offs, two teams received a bye.

VFV Round 1

As a result of the draw, both Brakel and Gent-Zeehaven received byes into round 2.

7 May 2017

15:00

Rupel Boom	0–2	Tessenderlo
	Report	Vanwelkenhuysen 4' Bennassar 85'

Gemeentelijk parkstadion, Boom

Referee: Robin Lefever

7 May 2017

15:00

Sint-Eloois-Winkel	0–4	Aalst
	Report	Yala Lusala 7' De Rock 14' F. Geenens 66' Mitu 72'

Sportpark Terschueren, Sint-Eloois-Winkel

VFV Round 2

11 May 2017

20:30

Aalst	1–0	Gent-Zeehaven
De Rock 67'	Report

Pierre Cornelisstadion, Aalst

11 May 2017

20:30

Brakel	2–2 (a.e.t.)	Tessenderlo
Kaj Knipping Delie	Report	Vanwelkenhuysen Van Oudenhove (pen.)
Penalties
	4–3

Olsa Stadion, Brakel

Aalst and Brakel qualified for the Promotion play-offs Final.

Promotion play-offs ACFF

The team finishing in second place in the Second Amateur Division C will take part in the promotion playoff first round together with three period winners. These 4 teams will play the first round of a promotion-playoff, with the winner qualifying for the Promotion play-offs Final. The period winners were RFC Liège (periods 1 and 3) and overall champions Châtelet.^[4]

As only Olympic Charleroi and La Louvière-Centre had received a remunerated license, only three teams played the play-offs instead of four, resulting in one team receiving a bye into round 2.

ACFF Round 1

As a result of the draw, RFC Liège received a bye into round 2.

6 May 2017

20:00

Olympic Charleroi	2–2 (a.e.t.)	La Louvière Centre
Jatta 40' Khaïda 92'	Report	Sbaa 61', 82'
Penalties
	6–5

Stade de la Neuville, Montignies-sur-Sambre

ACFF Round 2

10 May 2017

20:00

RFC Liège	2–1	Olympic Charleroi
Bruggeman 2' Ezzahri 89'	Report	Giorlando 54'

Stade de Rocourt, Liège

RFC Liège qualified for the Promotion play-offs Final.

Promotion play-offs Final

The two winners of the Promotion play-offs on the VFV side (Aalst and Brakel) and the winning team from the ACFF Promotion play-offs (RFC Liège) will play a final tournament together with the team that finished in 13th place in the 2016–17 Belgian First Amateur Division, Hasselt. The winner of this play-off promotes to (or remains in) the 2017–18 Belgian First Amateur Division.

Final Round 1

14 May 2017

15:00

Hasselt	1–3	Aalst
Sidibe 54'	Report	Mitu 7', 68' F. Geenens 44'

Stedelijk Sportstadion Hasselt, Hasselt

17 May 2017

20:30

Aalst	2–3 (a.e.t.)	Hasselt
Van Hoevelen 15' Baras 107'		Sidibe 43' Jarju 46' Bilican 55'

Pierre Cornelisstadion, Aalst

14 May 2017

15:00

Brakel	3–1	RFC Liège
De Lange 8' Haezebroeck 69' Delie 80'	Report	Ezzahri 19'

Olsa Stadion, Brakel

17 May 2017

20:30

RFC Liège	3–1 (a.e.t.)	Brakel
Teruel 15' Ezzahri 38', 90' (pen.)	Report	Delie 73'
Penalties
	4–2

Stade de Rocourt, Liège

Aalst and RFC Liège qualified for the Promotion play-offs Final. By not progressing, Hasselt relegated from the Belgian First Amateur Division.

Final Round 2

21 May 2017

15:00

Aalst	0–1	RFC Liège
		Mauclet 87'

Pierre Cornelisstadion, Aalst

28 May 2017

15:00

RFC Liège	1–2	Aalst
Ezzahri 90+1'		Mitu 56' Diarra 75'

Stade de Rocourt, Liège

2–2 on aggregate. Aalst promoted to the 2017–18 Belgian First Amateur Division on the away goals rule.

Relegation play-offs

7 May 2017

14:00

Bornem	1–4	Tienen-Hageland
Hermans 2'	Report	Singh 13' (pen.) Grancea 43' Haroun 84' Eboigbe 88'

Stadion Het Breeven, Bornem

Before the match, it was not known whether an extra VFV team would be relegated, which depended on the result of the promotion play-offs. If an ACFF team won the promotion play-offs, then an extra VFV team would be relegated. By winning the match, Tienen-Hageland was sure of avoiding relegation, while losing team Bornem were now dependent on the result of the only ACFF team in contention for promotion, RFC Liège. On 28 May 2017, RFC Liège lost the final match of the promotion play-off, resulting in Bornem being saved and avoiding relegation to the Belgian Third Amateur Division.