BRUSSELS (Reuters) – A comfortable 3-0 victory for Gent over Kortrijk on Sunday allowed the Belgian champions to open up a five point lead at the top of the league after Club Bruges were given a 4-1 hiding at home by Anderlecht.

Gent advanced to 43 points, comfortably ahead of second placed Oostende, who won 4-1 at home to Standard Liege in Sunday’s third top flight encounter.

Anderlecht joined Bruges on 37 points behind Gent and Oostende after winning Belgian football’s most anticipated league match of the season in convincing style away from home.

After nine successive home wins this season, Bruges found themselves quickly behind as Stefano Okaka scored after five minutes and Dennis Praet added a second before the break.

The home side attempted a second half comeback and pulled one back with a disputed goal from Stefano Denswil but Anderlecht finished off the success with a controversial penalty, converted by Matias Suarez, and another from Praet.

Victory for Gent, who will play in the last 16 of the Champions League early next year, came after goals from Moses Simon, Sven Kums and a late own goal from Maxime Chanot.

Zimbabwe international Knowledge Musona scored twice for Oostende as they kept up their unlikely run among the frontrunners.

(Reporting by Mark Gleeson; Editing by Nick Mulvenney)