KVC Westerlo – KRC Genk

The second part of a crucial double-header is approaching: after the impressive win against Standard, KRC Genk now visit ’t Kuipje. On Saturday at 6:15 p.m., nothing less than first place in the Europe Play-offs is at stake!

KVC Westerlo

“There he is, there he is!” The legendary words of Rik De Saedeleer perfectly captured the winning goal by Ourega against Standard. With his knee, he secured a deserved 1–2 victory and three golden points. KVC Westerlo dominated the match: 18 shots, 10 of which were on target. “A season record for us,” said coach Charaï. In addition, we had 54% possession and won 7 corners.

Despite the victory, both players and coach remained critical. “Just like last week, the opponent was dangerous after we lost possession,” Piedfort told Gazet van Antwerpen. Charaï added: “It underlines the ambition of the players that they are not fully satisfied with the performance.” It’s clear that both players and coach are aiming for the highest possible outcome, and continuous improvement is part of that. “The players can be critical, but we shouldn’t turn this into a bad match either,” the coach added realistically after the game.

With 26 points, KVC Westerlo now sit alone at the top of the table after the win in Liège. A victory against Genk, who have 25 points, could even open up a four-point gap. To successfully navigate this duel, Charaï can rely on the following players: Jungdal, Annell, Van Langendonck, Lapage, Kimura, Nsiala, Sayyadmanesh, Sydorchuk, Patrão, Bohamdi-Kamoni, Reynolds, Mbamba, Ourega, Gouré, Neustädter, Haspolat, Saito, Van den Keybus, Bayram, Piedfort, Alcócer, Ferri.

KRC Genk

KRC Genk drew 0–0 against OH Leuven last week, losing top spot to KVC Westerlo. Coach Nicky Hayen’s side will be eager to reclaim first place, as European football is a must for them. Only goalkeeper Tobias Lawal is unavailable due to injury. Players to watch include El Ouahdi (7 goals, 2 assists), Heynen (4 goals, 1 assist), former Westerlo player Heymans (10 goals, 4 assists), and assist leader Karetsas (11 assists).

Line-up last match (3-4-3):
Brughmans, Smets, Sadick, Kongolo, Ito, Heynen, Bangoura, El Ouahdi, Heymans, Mirisola, Karetsas.

Our previous encounter

The last meeting with Genk took place on December 14, 2025, at the Cegeka Arena. KVC Westerlo started strongly and took an early lead. After a loss of possession by Heynen, Sakamoto and Ferri quickly switched play, allowing Yow to calmly finish for 0–1. Genk then had more possession but struggled to create chances. Their best opportunity came just before halftime when Mirisola hit the crossbar.

After the break, Westerlo focused on organization and looked to counter, although these chances were not always executed well. With twenty minutes to go, the match turned completely. Bayram was sent off after a VAR review for a light foul. With a numerical advantage, Genk pushed hard for an equalizer but were repeatedly denied by a strong Jungdal and a solid defense. In the closing stages, Mbamba nearly made it 0–2, but Van Crombrugge kept Genk in the game. Moments later, the equalizer finally came: after a blocked cross, the ball fell to Oh, who made it 1–1.

Did you know…

• Jungdal could play his 50th match for the Kemphanen on Saturday.
• The average age of our starting eleven this season is 23, exactly one year older than Genk’s.
• Since returning to the top division in 2022, KVC Westerlo has faced Genk eight times (4 draws, 4 losses). The last win against the Limburg side dates back to March 18, 2012 (3–2 at ’t Kuipje).
• Genk have received the fewest cards (47 yellow, 1 red), while Westerlo, with 52 yellow and 3 red cards, are the fourth “fairest” team in the league.
• The previous encounter was Thorsten Fink’s last match as Genk’s head coach.

Referee

The referee is Bert Verbeke. He will be assisted by Mathias Hillaert and Martijn Tiesters. The fourth official is Simon Bourdeaud’Hui, while VAR duties will be handled by Brent Staessens.