BRUSSELS, BELGIUM: KAS Eupen, owned by Aspire Zone Foundation, returned to the summit of the Belgian second division on Friday night after a hard fought victory over promotion rivals Westerlo. With the season now halfway through, the Black and Whites are ‘winter champions’, having displaced their opponents from the top spot by virtue of a narrow 1-0 win. In a closely contested game, Eupen withstood sustained pressure after taking a 13th minute lead through French striker Florian Taulemesse, holding on to their slender advantage to prompt jubilant scenes in the Kehrweg stadium at the final whistle. Eupen features an array of talented youngsters who are clearly reveling in the competitive atmosphere of the Belgian league. The latest victory saw another mature performance from a team featuring no fewer than seven AspireAcademy graduates on the night, all of whom are just 19 years of age. “At AspireAcademy, we always stress the importance of hard work and discipline to make the most of one’s talent,” said Ivan Bravo, Director General of AspireAcademy. “Eupen’s most recent victory saw these principles brought to the fore, with the team having to defend their lead with determination for much of the game. To be league leaders at this stage of the season is a tremendous achievement, and further evidence that Aspire is producing a steady stream of sportsmen who can compete at the very highest level.” The reputation of Belgian football has blossomed in recent years, with the national team considered dark horses for victory at next summer’s FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil. It is an indication of the progress made by Eupen’s Aspire graduates that they are able to flourish in such an environment. And, if this progress can be sustained, the team will be favorites to gain automatic promotion to the First Division.