Union’s new ‘cat’ keeper faces a test as Vic Chambaere eyes Bodø/Glimt spot

Union Saint‑Gilloise have signed 29‑year‑old goalkeeper Hervé Koffi, who is twenty centimetres shorter than his predecessor, but he failed to make the European list, leaving penalty‑hero Vic Chambaere a chance to start against Bodø/Glimt tonight.

Koffi is described as a showman and an acrobat; a video after a Burkina Faso win shows him performing flips on the pitch, a habit he traced back to gymnastics lessons at age eight. He earned the nickname ‘Le Chat’ because friends in Burkina Faso said he moves “like a cat”.

His predecessor, Kjell Scherpen, stood 2.06 m tall and left Union for Ipswich Town, highlighting the club’s shift from a towering, traditional keeper to a smaller, reflex‑driven profile.

Born in Burkina Faso, Koffi once helped his mother sell shampoo at a local market while training up to twelve hours a day with only a single pair of gloves, noting that African keepers must work ten times harder due to poor facilities.

Koffi’s career has taken him from Moeskroen and Charleroi to a Ligue 1 transfer, then a loan at Angers where he recorded the highest Expected Goals saved among French keepers (11.9) and was named Player of the Season.

Vic Chambaere, 23, recently lifted the Supercup for Union, earning the title of penalty‑stopper and describing his heroics as “just one saved penalty, maybe a bit of humility”. He is known for his calm analysis after matches, even after drinking a few beers from the Bruges crowd.

Coach David Hubert said, “Vic is very positive, even when he was the backup. He performed his duties well in the shadows and always stepped up when needed. Now with Hervé arriving, they must fight for the spot.”

Tonight’s clash with Bodø/Glimt will be Chambaere’s first opportunity since Koffi only began training with Union this weekend and also missed the European list. Both will have to battle for the number‑one jersey, a competition Union hopes will raise the overall standard.

The story was reported by Niel Van EsscheSportjournalist for HLN4, part of , and even appeared as a Google-favorietOp piece. Bij the club’s recent announcements, AA Gent was also listed among potential European opponents. Le article notes that Hij (He) remains optimistic about the internal rivalry.