Striker Ebrima Sawaneh played one of his best games since moving to KV Kortrijk as they eased past Momodou Ceesay’s KVC Westerlo 3-1 on Wednesday to book a place in the last eight of the Belgian domestic cup.

Senegalese striker Elimane Coulibally scored a hat-trick to put the game beyond the visitor’s reach before they pulled a goal back deep into stoppage time. Kortrijk Coach Hein Venhaezebrouck preferred Sawaneh to Bakx to partner Coulibally upfront even though the Gambian had recently been struggling with an Achilles tendon injury.

After only 14 minutes, Ebou beat past the Westerlo defense before he was brought down by keeper De Winter but the referee wrongfully denied him a penalty and instead blew his whistle for offside. Moments later, the Gambian striker forced De Winter into a reflex save before he missed on a one-on-one situation just on the stroke of half time.

Sawaneh was substituted in the 78th minute for Bakx moments after Coulibally grabbed his second as the coach wanted to rest his key players ahead of their crunch league tie against Roeselare on Saturday as the Jupiler Pro League bounces back from its annual winter break.