© BELGIUM
RC Genk thundered on to Anderlecht to a ten-point gap with Union, with Bilal El Khannouss in a starring role. “Wouldn’t I also regret that I chose Morocco? Not by a long shot. Roberto Martinez has tried enough to persuade me in the past period, but my choice was made.”
Gunther Schoofs
It took until minute nineteen before Paul Onuachu scored his thirteenth goal of the season. After a magisterial attack through El Khannouss and Munoz. Anderlecht couldn’t get a grip on the frivolous game of the Limburgers, with Bilal El Khannouss always at the base. When Kevin De Bruyne puts such split passes into the back of the defense, all the tabloids are full. Made-to-measure work that 18-year-old El Khannouss can also master. At times phenomenal, magisterial, superlatives at will. “I just know the balls have to get there for Mike and Joske”, the young Moroccan international referred to the speed of Trésor and Paintsil. “There was a lot of space in the back of Anderlecht’s flank defenders. The coach pointed that out. Then it’s just a matter of timing it right. Actually, it should have been 0-3 at half-time.”
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For El Khannouss, things are moving very fast. The fact that he is ex-Anderlecht must have hurt the board of the Brussels club again on Sunday evening. “I played here until the U15. Then I decided to choose Genk. To be honest, I never regretted it for a moment. Do I also regret that I have chosen Morocco? Not by a long shot. Roberto Martinez has tried enough to persuade me in the past period, but my choice for Morocco was made. It is not that I travel to Qatar specifically to beat the Belgians. I was born in Belgium, but every match there is equally important. I think it is a great pity for Bryan Heynen and Mike Trésor that they are not there. With their statistics they also belonged at that tournament. I’m traveling on Monday. I still find it unbelievable that I will be there at the age of eighteen.”
© Dick Demey
So Bryan Heynen gets some rest. In principle, he does not go to the Devils, because he is ‘only’ a substitute. So he can still enjoy the impressive first round of RC Genk. “It is actually a pity that there is a break now, because we are in a very good flow. Ten points ahead, that says enough. Anderlecht couldn’t hurt us at any time. Even with one man less we kept control of the game. The road is still long, but I think we can only lose to ourselves. It can only go wrong if we start to doubt ourselves. And there is no reason for that.”
Paintsil is in pain
Joseph Paintsil was the absolute tormentor of Anderlecht. His direct opponent, Moussa NDiaye, soon had to leave because he could not follow the fast Ghanaian. “Sorry for that boy, but he’s still young,” said Paintsil. “Onuachu might have made it two or three before half-time, then we would have made it even easier for ourselves.”
One bitter aftertaste with Paintsil: the questions to his teammates about the World Cup hurt his ears. “I am immensely disappointed that I was not selected for the Ghanaian selection. I’m devastated even. I deserved that selection. I encourage Ghana, but it hurts.”
