KVC Westerlo – KRC Genk
Of the 25 previous encounters at the Kuipje against our neighbours from Genk, we won six times and drew nine times. The last victory dates back 13 years, when we beat Genk 3-2 on a Sunday afternoon. At the time, we had a dream start, because after fifteen minutes of play we were already 3-0 ahead thanks to goals from Steven De Petter, Reynaldo and current assistant coach Bart Goor, who also provided the assist for the first goal.
Last season
We lost 1-2. After 23 match days, Genk was comfortably leading the league, while we were stuck in 13th place. El Ouahdi and Arokodare scored for Genk, while Isa Sakamoto scored for us in his first home game after joining us in the winter.
Current season
Genk is in 9th place, one place higher than our Kemphanen. The total market value of their team is €144 million, which is three times more than ours. They have won four times this season: OH Leuven (1-2), Zulte Waregem (3-2), STVV (1-2) and Dender (2-1). Three matches ended in a 1-1 draw: Antwerp, Anderlecht and La Louvière, and one match in a 2-2 draw: Cercle Brugge.
The matches against Club Brugge, Standard, Charleroi and Union were lost.
Four players are expected to be out for this match: goalkeeper Lawal, right-back El Ouahdi and wingers Steuckers and Ito.
Mutual transfers
Players who made a direct transfer in either direction via the first team are: Tuur Rommens, Rubin Seigers, Christophe Janssens, Yoni Buyens, Khaleem Hyland, Benji De Ceulaer, Kennedy Nwanganga, Kevin Vandenbergh and David Paas. The most notable is, of course, Leandro Trossard, who, after being loaned out by Genk to Lommel for half a season, made the move to the Kuipje in 2013, scored five goals in 21 matches and, at the end of the season, was able to lift the Belgacom League trophy in 2014. Fun fact: Leandro was on the bench during the championship match against Eupen. Who knew back then that he would become such a big name in Belgian football?
Squads
KVC Westerlo: Jungdal, Reynolds, Bayram, Kimura, Haspolat, Piedfort, Sayyadmanesh, Sakamoto, Alcocer, Nacho Ferri, Van Langendonck, Lapage, Bujupi, Cordero, Vaesen, Yow, Fixelles, Mbamba, Van Den Keybus, Annell, Neustädter, Mebude, Sydorchuk, Smekens, Bernat.
KRC Genk: Van Crombrugge, Nkuba, Smets, Sadick, Kayembe, Sattlberger, Heynen, Karetsas, Heymans, Sor, Mirisola; Stevens, Palacios, Kongolo, Hrosovsky, Yokoyama, Sternberg, Oh, Erabi
Goals + Assists KV Westerlo
- Josimar Alcocer: 6
- Isa Sakamoto: 6
- Nacho Ferri: 5
Goals + Assists KRC Genk
- Zakaria El Ouahdi: 5
- Hyun-gyu Oh: 5
- Jarne Steuckers: 5
Referee
Michiel Allaerts has been appointed to referee this match. He has already officiated once this season at the Kuipje against KV Mechelen (0-1). This will be his fifth match for us, in which we have yet to emerge victorious: RWDM (1-1) and Dender (1-0) in away matches and in the Kuipje we also played against Standard (0-0) with him as referee.
