Yuma Suzuki opened the scoring for Sint-Truiden in a 2-1 win over Mechelen on Saturday, notching his 15th goal of the Belgian top flight season with an assist from Japanese compatriot Daiki Hashioka.
Suzuki tapped in from directly in front of goal in the 11th minute at Sint-Truiden's Stayen soccer stadium after Hashioka chased down a long ball and pulled back a cross from the right of the area.
The hosts took a 2-0 lead into the break after forward Ilombe Mboyo scored from the penalty spot late in the first half after Suzuki was brought down in the area.
Mechelen denied Japanese keeper Daniel Schmidt a clean sheet in the 90th minute when substitute Igor de Camargo snuck in at the back post to score off a cross.
With the win, 15th-place Sint-Truiden has built a five-point buffer above the bottom three with three games remaining.