Despite losing center back Mohammed Sarr to a red card on the stroke of halftime, Salim Toama's free kick double saw Standard Liege move four points up on second place Anderlecht with a 2-1 win over Westerlo on Monday night.

Oguchi Onyewu worked the entire contest in the heart of defense, nearly picking up an assist on a potential game winner at the hour.

Toama opened the scoring quickly, looping a picturesque restart over the wall and into the top right corner past Westerlo keeper Yves De Winter.

The visitors picked up the pressure, and were rewarded with a deserved equalizer in the 19th minute. Joris van Hout's cross from the left flank bounced through the area to the other side, where Nabil Dirar smacked it home on the half-volley.

The teams traded half chances until Sarr was sent packing for a two-footed lunge at Dirar.

Standard had their first big chance to take a 10-man lead when Marouane Fellaini won the aerial battle to Onyewu's long 60th minute restart, but his header glanced just over the bar.

Steven Defour took the initiative for the hosts, setting up three missed opportunities for Igor De Camargo. With Standard smelling blood, Toama once again fired a free kick home in the 78th minute to provide the decider.

Scoring
SL - Salim Toama 1 1'
WES - Nabil Dirar 1 (Joris Van Hout) 19'
SL - Salim Toama 2 78'

Line-ups
SL - Olivier Renard; Marcos Camozzato, Oguchi Onyewu, Mohamed  Sarr, Costa Santos Bonfim Dante, Marouane Fellaini, Steven Defour, Salim Toama, Axel Witsel, Igor  De Camargo (Landry Mulemo 81'), Dieumerci Mbokani (Ali Lukunku 89')

WES - Yves De Winter; Wouter Corstjens, Rachid Farssi, Nico Van Kerckhoven, Jef Delen, Wim Mennes, Michael Modubi (Jackson Coelho 82'), Marc Wagemakers, Nabil Dirar, Patrick Ogunsoto (Emanuel Sarki 63'), Joris Van Hout