Jupiler Pro LeagueRacing Genk dives into the winter break as ‘leader’ of the right column, but with a view to play-off 1. It flooded an almost lifeless KV Oostende and forgot to push the numbers higher than 0-4. Only downside: Thorstvedt swallowed red in the final phase. It’s up to Storck to prepare the Limburgers during the winter internship for a final sprint that may or may not finish in the top four.
A minute before ref Boterberg whistles before half-time, the Genk bank is remarkably concerned about a foul by Gueye on Muñoz with a 0-3 score. Assistant Riddersholm even swallows yellow. Junya Ito can’t get excited about it. The Japanese juggles a bit with the leather during the injury treatment of his Mexican teammate. For more than a minute he also tries some passing moves and taps the ball back and forth against the boarding, as if he is busy with a ball in his garden to prevent boredom. It is an all-encompassing image.
KV Oostende – Racing Genk was actually only twelve minutes a game. Ito then pushed the 0-2 past Hubert on a handsome assist from Hrosovsky. A handful of minutes earlier, the Japanese also served Ugbo for the first goal. From that moment on, it was only a matter of increasing the statistics for Genk and refueling some confidence.
Ostend fell short in all areas against Genk, which should not really exert any more effort than during a weekday walk on the beach to distance themselves from a young and impetuous KVO. The 0-3 that put Muñoz against the ropes in the 35th minute could actually have been the 0-5 or 0-6. “Keep going,” Thorstvedt yelled through the Diaz Arena. KRC did feel like a massacre.
The Ostend defense had completely lost the basic principles of the offside trap. Especially Medley and Ndicka proved to be very vulnerable in the back. Ito took advantage of one attentiveness after another to mouse away. On the other side, Bongonda caught 18-year-old Wylin by surprise again and again. Genk did not even take full advantage. Bongonda, eagerly looking for his first goal in four matches, missed a few serious opportunities. Blessin pulled Patoulidis to the side before the halftime signal to switch to a five-man defence. Damage control, that was the only idea behind that switch.
Storck did not change for a long time and that was undoubtedly deliberate. Getting some good vibes just before the winter break and adjusting the automatisms a bit, after the recent 6 out of 21 since the last win, Genk could use it. Ostend positioned itself slightly higher after the break and even came close to Vandevoordt. Yet Genk remained very dominant with 66 percent possession.
Almost perfect
We had to wait until deep into the game for the fourth goal. Hrosovsky still took care of that. Vandevoordt was never really put to the test at any point and that resulted in his first clean sheet since the end of September. Genk thus headed for a perfect evening until Thorstvedt entered the duel just outside the Ostend sixteen a little too sharply and clumsily and Boterberg saw no other option than to send him off the field. He will be allowed to grumble a bit after the winter break. Other than that, only bonus for KRC. Three points, four goals and a clean sheet. Storck will undoubtedly use the winter internship in Benidorm to improve the condition of the Genkies a bit and to start the hunt for Ghent and Anderlecht from mid-January.
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