Racing did not start the match well. Feyenoord, where ex-Genkie Brian Priske has recently become coach, immediately claimed the ball and quickly took the lead when a seemingly harmless cross from Quinten Timber was unfortunately deflected into his own goal by Joris Kayembe: 1-0.
Blauw-wit had a hard time with the high Rotterdam pressure and only got to play football halfway through the first half. Under the impetus of a strong Jarne Steuckers, Genk took control and also deservedly equalized via Christopher Bonsu Baah. The Ghanaian was sent into the sixteen by Steuckers, cleverly cut out his direct opponent and shot Feyenoord goalkeeper Timon Wellenreuther (ex-Anderlecht) with a hard shot: 1-1.
Sublime Penders
Genk’s dominance did not last long. Feyenoord came up once more following the equalizer and blue-white needed a sublime Mike Penders to keep the score in balance. First, the 19-year-old from Uikhoven kept a shot from Ayase Ueda (ex-Cercle Brugge) out of his goal, then he stood firm with some great reflexes on attempts from Calvin Stengs (ex-Antwerp) and Bart Nieuwkoop (ex-Union). Half-time score: 1-1.
After the break, ten other Genkies were allowed to come forward. Only goalkeeper Penders remained standing, for the rest a lot of youngsters got their chance. Feyenoord smelled blood and moved forward under the impetus of the ardent home supporters (there were regarding 20,000 Feyenoord fans present in De Kuip, ed.). Nieuwkoop tried first with a low shot, but once more found Penders in his way.
On the hour mark, the Genk goalkeeper was finally beaten. Stengs sent Igor Paixao away in the back of the young Brad Manguelle, the Brazilian neatly placed the ball past a helpless Penders into the corner: 2-1 for the home team.
Equalizer (wrongly?) disallowed
Priske made a lot of changes immediately following that goal and also gave Anis Hadj Moussa a chance. He was still doing well in the first half of last season at… Patro Eisden and this summer he secured a top transfer to De Kuip. The Algerian was immediately omnipresent and almost scored, but his free kick exploded once morest the post.
Genk continued to struggle and seemed unable to do anything regarding the score, but with five minutes to go, Noa Adedeji-Sternberg suddenly made the net vibrate. Referee Jannick van der Laan disallowed the goal for a previous foul by Thomas Claes. “Unfairly,” sighed coach Thorsten Fink followingwards. “It wasn’t a foul by Thomas, this was simply a valid goal.”
Not 2-2 then, but two minutes later it was 3-1. Penders first had yet another great save in store on a long-range shot, a few seconds later he was helpless once morest a hard slide by Antoni Milambo: 3-1. That was also the final score.
Back to Belgium
Racing’s internship in the Netherlands is over soon, the selection immediately boarded the bus to Genk following the match. Next week the last two practice matches of the preparation will follow. On Wednesday (12:00) there will be a practice behind closed doors once morest the Dutch first division team Go Ahead Eagles, on Saturday (18:30) the French Lille will visit the Cegeka Arena. A week later the blue-whites will start the competition with a home match once morest Standard.
FEYENOORD: Wellenreuther (61′ Berger), Nieuwkoop (61′ Sauer), Tsoungui (61′ Giersthove), Beelen (46′ Zechiël), Plug (46′ Kasanwirjo), Pedersen (46′ Slory), Zerrouki (61′ Sebaoui), Timber (32′ Milambo), Stengs (61′ Hadj Moussa), Paixao (61′ Nadje), Ueda (61′ Read).
KRC GENK: Penders, El Ouahdi (46′ Nkuba), Sadick (46′ Manguelle), Smets (46′ Kongolo), Kayembe (46′ Palacios), Fadera (46′ Da Costa), Bangoura (46′ Haroun), El Khannouss (46′ Lukanic), Steuckers (46′ Karetsas), Bonsu Baah (46′ Adedeji-Sternberg), Arokodare (46′ Sor, 77′ Claes).
SCORE: 7′ Kayembe (own) 1-0, 20′ Bonsu Baah 1-1, 60′ Paixao 2-1
YELLOW CARDS: 29′ Bangoura (foul), 72′ Kongolo (foul)
Relive the match here:
2
:
1
RC Genk
END. KRC Genk loses 3-1 on the field of Feyenoord. In the first half, blue-white kept pace with the Rotterdammers, following the break the young Genk players had a much harder time and Feyenoord scored two more times.
86′ 3-1 for Feyenoord! Penders first swats another shot out of his goal, but the Rotterdam attack continues. The ball eventually comes to Milambo, who fires the ball low into the corner.
84′ Adedeji-Sternberg makes the net vibrate, but Claes has made a mistake beforehand. The equalizer does not count.
79′ Hadj Moussa wants to show himself at De Kuip. The former tastemaker of Patro Eisden tries from the halfway line, but his shot cannot surprise Penders.
77′ Thorsten Fink makes another substitution. Yira Sor leaves the field, Thomas Claes is his replacement.
72′ Hadj Moussa goes off on the right once more. Kongolo takes out his scythe and mows down the Algerian. A fair yellow for the young Genkie.
66′ Palacios makes a mistake on the edge of the box. Hadj Moussa steps up to the ball, but his free kick hits the post. From our point of view, it is not clear whether Penders still had his fingers in it.
61′ Just following the 2-1, Feyenoord coach Brian Priske makes a lot of substitutions. Wellenreuther, Nieuwkoop, Zerrouki, Ueda, Stengs, Paixao and Tsoungui leave the field. In their place come Berger, Sauer, Hadj Moussa, Read, Nadje, Sebaoui and Giersthove.
60′ 2-1! Stengs sends Paixao away in the back of Manguelle, the Brazilian neatly places the ball past Penders.
55′ Ueda wants to take a shot, but young Kenan Haroun slides the ball into the corner just in time. Genk is struggling.
51′ The first chance of the second half is for Feyenoord. Nieuwkoop storms into the Genk penalty area from the right and takes a low shot, Penders goes down nicely and saves.
47′ At Feyenoord, Beelen, Pedersen and Plug have stayed in the dressing room. In their place came Zechiël, Kasanwirjo and Slory.
46′ We have started the second half. At Genk, ten other players are between the lines, only goalkeeper Mike Penders has remained. The Genk eleven: Penders, Nkuba, Manguelle, Kongolo, Palacios, Da Costa, Haroun, Lukanic, Karetsas, Adedeji-Sternberg, Sor.
45+2′ HALF-TIME. After a pleasant first half, we go into half-time with the score at 1-1. Genk quickly fell behind due to an unfortunate own goal by Joris Kayembe, but Christopher Bonsu Baah levelled the score halfway through the first half.
45+1′ Paixao surprisingly tries from a distance, his volley just misses the post. Penders was rooted to the spot.
43′ We’re almost halftime here in Rotterdam. Will anything happen before the halftime whistle or will both teams go to the dressing rooms with the score at 1-1?
35′ Meanwhile, the heavens are opening once more above De Kuip. Here in the Netherlands, too, there is no sign of summer for the time being.
32′ Timber tries once more, but is still too bothered by Bangoura’s tap. The Feyenoord captain is replaced by Milambo.
29′ Bangoura is the first to go into referee Van der Laan’s book. Rightly so, he goes too hard on Timber.
28′ The young goalkeeper has to get to work straight away. Nieuwkoop can head freely, but Penders floats the ball out of his goal. Strong work by the 19-year-old from Uikhoven.
