Standard Liège hit three times in the final half hour to bag a 3-1 win at Westerlo on Saturday night to regain the Jupiler League penthouse.

US defender Oguchi Onyewu picked up an impressive assist and a deserved yellow card during his 90 minutes as Les Rouches climbed to a point ahead of Club Brugge, who'd been beaten at home by Charleroi on Friday.

Things didn't start so well for the visitors, with Westerlo on top after only three minutes. Emanuel Sarki wiggled past Dante Costa to serve for the middle, and when Rory Espinoza failed to collect the bouncing cross, Bart Van den Eede was on hand to apply the finish.

Standard assumed control of possession and could easily have leveled in the 26th minute. Dieumerci Mbokani flicked an Onyewu long throw to the far post where Milan Jovanovic feebly shot straight at the keeper.

Jovanovic went close near the break, latching onto a Steven Defour long ball to lob just over the bar.

Westerlo keeper Yves De Winter survived another scare two minutes out of halftime when Mbokani fired a fine Grégory Dufer cross into his waiting arms.

Another long Onyewu throw-in proved dangerous in the 63rd minute. The American hurled the ball to the middle of the area, where Marouane Fellaini rose highest to nod the equalizer.

After finally ceding some of the play, Standard struck again with 14 minutes to go. Substitute Réginal Goreux served into the box and Mbokani eagerly buried a well-placed header.

Axel Witsel sank the dagger four minutes later, tapping home a low Igor De Camargo cross at the back post.

Standard returns home to face relegation bait Sint Truidense on Friday in an attempt to go clear at the top.

Scoring
WES - Bart Van den Eede 7 (Emanuel Sarki) 3'
SL - Marouane Fellaini 5 (Oguchi Onyewu) 63'
SL - Dieumerci Mbokani 8 (Réginal Goreux) 76'
SL - Axel Witsel 7 (Igor De Camargo) 80'

Line-ups
WES - Yves De Winter; Bernt Evens, Nico Van Kerckhoven, Jef Delen, Wim Mennes, Emanuel Sarki, Marc Wagemakers, Stef Wils, Lukas Zelenka, Dieter Dekelver, Bart Van den Eede (Joris Van Hout 55')

SL - Rorys Aragon Espinoza; Marcos Camozzato, Oguchi Onyewu, Mohamed Sarr, Dante Bonfim Costa, Steven Defour (Landry Mulemo 87'), Grégory Dufer (Réginal Goreux 66'), Marouane Fellaini, Axel Witsel, Milan Jovanovic (Igor De Camargo 75'), Dieumerci Mbokani

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ON THE SIDELINE
Greg Dalby did not appear as Charleroi posted a shock 2-0 win at Club Brugge on Friday night.