Percy Tau on the verge of a remarkable Belgian Cup final

29 January 2019 - 10:13 By Mark Gleeson
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Mathieu Maertens of OH Leuven in action with Muzi Tau Percy of Royal Union Saint-Gilloise during the Proximus League match between OH Leuven and Royal Union Saint-Gilloise at King Power at Den Dreef Stadion on September 30, 2018 in Heverlee, Belgium.
Mathieu Maertens of OH Leuven in action with Muzi Tau Percy of Royal Union Saint-Gilloise during the Proximus League match between OH Leuven and Royal Union Saint-Gilloise at King Power at Den Dreef Stadion on September 30, 2018 in Heverlee, Belgium.
Image: Plumb Images/Getty Images

Percy Tau is just 90 minutes away from a remarkable Belgian Cup final appearance with his unfashionable second division club in his first season of European football after last year’s record move from Mamelodi Sundowns.

Royal Union Saint-Gilloise on Tuesday host the second leg of the semifinal against KV Mechelen‚ another second division side‚ after forcing a 0-0 draw away in the first last week.

Union‚ as they are known in Belgium‚ are now fancied to book a place in April’s final against either AA Ghent or KV Oostende‚ where Andile Jali played last season.

The 24-year-old Tau featured in a strong attacking display by Union in the first leg last week and continues to enhance his reputation‚ after being sent on loan to the club by English Premier League outfit Brighton and Hove Albion.

But it will be no walkover for Union‚ whose opponents are top of the Belgian second division and heading for promotion and have not lost in their last 21 games.

Brussels-based Union are one of the oldest clubs in Belgium and have won 11 league titles. But the last of them was before World War 2.

They have also three Belgian Cup triumphs – in 1913‚ 1914 and 1927 – making their march to the cusp of this year’s final even more remarkable.

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