A strong Genk deservedly beat a weak Anderlecht. For a while it looked like the Purple & White would steal a point in Genk, but a penalty in the final minute decided otherwise: 2-1. The title battle is now completely open: Genk is closing in on four points. And tomorrow Union and Club will play against each other.
No one remembers anything about the football in the confrontations between Anderlecht and Genk. What did remain in the collective memory: the discussion surrounding ‘penalty gate’ and even further back, the row between De Condé and Vertonghen after the latter presented Bonsu Baah with a red card. And the fans had not forgotten that: strong Jan was whistled at every contact.
In every aspect of football, Genk was the better Saturday evening. They were more eager, combined smoothly and applied so much pressure that purple and white could not get through at all. RSCA knew how to make arrows from wood. And that was entirely Genk’s merit. Galarza dominated in midfield, El Khannouss was his bright self, Vertonghen and Gattoni (replacement for the suspended Debast) were no match for Arokodare and El Ouahdi’s runs also regularly caused danger.
It didn’t take long before Genk rewarded itself. Schmeichel first made a good save from the attempts of Arokodare and El Ouahdi. The Danish goalkeeper was spotted after fifteen minutes. El Ouahdi served Arokodare, who easily fended off Vertonghen and pushed the ball wide of Schmeichel. And Riemer will also be displeased with how El Khannouss was allowed to advance without anything getting in his way. The purple and white midfield was really nowhere. RSCA did not get further than harmless long balls to Amuzu.
Frustrating. Also for Vertonghen, who again provoked the Limburg people’s anger just before half time. He put his foot in front of El Ouahdi when the ball was actually already outside and started an uppercut. Lardot solved it without a card, but with a firm scolding for the record international.
To gain some more power in midfield, Delaney started the second half. Not that that change immediately brought improvement. The fact is that Anderlecht created its first chances. Vertonghen headed a corner to Gattoni who decided it over. A little later we almost witnessed a world goal. Amuzu came in and kicked the post from about thirty meters.
Cover on the nose
Don’t be misled: Genk remained the better team. And actually deserved a second goal. However, El Ouahdi pushed wide after a clever attack. And an attempt by Galarza was also parried. Not much later, Sardella, who played very poorly, offered Fadera the opportunity. However, he failed him by playing Arokodare poorly instead of finishing himself. Now an inefficient Genk forgot to reward itself and was defeated by Anderlecht. Bogeyman: Anders Dreyer. Mckenzie kept giving way, Dreyer came in and curled wonderfully into the snag. What a goal can’t do. Suddenly the Purple & White actually started to develop pressure. Genk had the biggest chance: Delaney played back poorly, Schmeichel made a good save on Zeqiri’s effort.
In the end, Genk still came out on top. Fadera kicked a cross onto the arm of the turning away Sardella. Lardot was relentless: penalty. Zeqiri kicked through the middle past Schmeichel. We can confirm: this time no Anderlecht player caught up too early.
So in the end we still got a winner. Genk is approaching within four points of Anderlecht, which could see Union draw level tomorrow, or Club could come within two points.
