Fully recovered after illness, captain Rob Schoofs took his starting place again with the home team, newcomer Gar’anga was preferred over ex-Genkenaar Walsh. The other signing, deep striker Slimani, started on the bench. Genk coach Wouter Vrancken opted for a Galarza-Hrosovsky-Heynen triangle in midfield, El Khannouss was allowed to roam from the left flank.
This shift was intended to give Racing more comfort with the ball in attack, but it did entail risks defensively. Left back Sobol got into trouble after two minutes against a Hairemans-Antonio duo, the fast Zimbabwean rashly decided to go wide.
© Dick Demey
Arokodare from nowhere
In the build-up it was a long search and no find for the visitors, who started poorly, also because deep striker Arokodare failed to hold on to a ball. An inattention by Sobol and loss of ball by Heynen led to the first chances for Antonio and Mrabti, but they could not find their way to goal. KV Mechelen was sharper and more precise in the combination, Schoofs aimed his volley over.
Only halfway through the first half did Genk gain control of the match, the first chance on the half hour actually leading to the flattering opening goal. A deflected free kick from El Khannouss was again headed across goal by Heynen. There, McKenzie saw his header hit the post, but Arokodare was in the right place to score the 0-1.
Arokodare gave Genk the lead. — © Dick Demey
Not 0-2, but 1-1
The home team was upset for a moment, it almost turned the match in Genk’s favor for good. A high ball recovery launched a clever attack with a few short ball changes. Through El Khannouss, Heynen and Paintsil, Heynen had the chance to score 0-2 in front of his right, but the place ball blew over.
Instead of 0-2, it was 1-1 a minute later. Once again the goal came out of nowhere. A gasping KV found space, as he often does on the right, with Antonio, who sent the ball towards the far post on the edge of offside. There, like an accomplished target man, Mrabti placed the ball with his head perfectly in the barrel of the onrushing Schoofs, who struck from close range.
Paintsil received his fifth yellow card and is suspended against RWDM. — © Dick Demey
Weak second half
The second half seemed to start like the first with loss of ball (now from Galarza) and a wild blast over goal from Mrabti. But the visitors didn’t wait as long to stick their noses to the window. The balls arrived faster in front of the goal, Arokodare was unable to direct a header in the right direction three times.
Genk unsuccessfully claimed a penalty after a charge from Foulon on El Ouahdi, Paintsil received his fifth yellow card for protest, meaning he will miss Saturday’s home match against RWDM. Furthermore, a diluted match died a silent death, with 3 out of 15 Genk urgently needs an intermediate sprint to strengthen their PO1 ambitions.
KV MECHELEN: Coucke – Garan’anga, Bates, Cobbaut – Antonio, Mukau, Schoofs, Foulon – Hairemans, Mrabti – Lauerbach.
KRC GENK: Vandevoordt – El Ouahdi, Cuesta, McKenzie, Sobol – Galarza, Hrosovsky – Paintsil, Heynen, El Khannouss – Arokodare.
REPLACEMENTS: 58′ Lauerbach and Garan’anga by Slimani and Konaté, 77′ Hairemans by Pflücke, 84′ Antonio by Bafdili, 87′ Heynen by Zeqiri, 94′ El Khannouss by Bonsu Baah .
GOALS: 32′ Arokodare 0-1, 38′ Schoofs 1-1.
YELLOW CARDS: 12′ El Ouahdi (counter break), 66′ Mukau (high intensity tackle), 72′ Paintsil (protest).
SPECTATORS: 13,567.
REFEREE: Bram Van Driessche.