Dender Thrashed As Genk Impress Again

Racing Genk continued their unstoppable run in the Belgian Pro League, securing their sixth consecutive win with a commanding 4-0 victory against Dender.

The team remains unbeaten, with 18 points out of 18, firmly cementing their place at the top of the table. Goals from Tolu, Bonsu Baah, Hrosovsky, and Oh ensured an emphatic win, highlighting Genk’s dominance.

The match was particularly special for Genk captain Bryan Heynen, who celebrated his 300th appearance for the club. To mark the occasion, fans honoured him with a stunning tifo before kickoff.

The match began slowly, with Genk dominating possession but finding it difficult to break down a well-organized Dender side. Despite Genk’s control, Dender managed a few early chances, but it was Genk who looked more likely to break the deadlock. Free kicks from Karetsas and a shot from El Ouahdi didn’t trouble Dender’s inexperienced goalkeeper Devriendt.

Genk head coach Alexander Fink anticipated that breaking down Dender’s defence would take time. His prediction proved accurate, as it wasn’t until the 16th minute that Genk found a breakthrough. Tolu, continuing his excellent form, scrambled the ball into the net from a corner, marking his sixth goal of the season.

From that point on, it was a case of cat and mouse, with Dender struggling to pose any serious threat. They were fortunate that further efforts from Karetsas, Steuckers, and El Ouahdi didn’t end up in the back of the net.

After the break, Genk doubled their lead. Bonsu Baah found the net through a crowded penalty area, and from then on, the match was firmly in Genk’s control.

Despite the second goal, Dender showed a brief spark of resistance. Substitute Berte injected some energy into the visitors, and Dender managed a few opportunities. Nsimba missed a key chance, and Van Crombrugge had to make a smart save to deny Ferraro from pulling one back for Dender.

Genk responded with timely substitutions that paid off immediately. Hrosovsky, coming off the bench, found himself in the right place at the right time to make it 3-0 with a fortunate finish. Moments later, South Korean forward Oh, another substitute, wowed the crowd with a spectacular goal—a thunderous shot that made it 4-0, leaving the entire stadium chanting his name.

As the match neared its end, the only remaining highlight was the applause for Heynen, who left the field to a standing ovation. With little action in the final stages, Genk comfortably saw out the win.

Genk goalkeeper Hendrik Van Crombrugge spoke after the match about the team’s impressive form: “This is great. We were on our guard. We had a good run and then you can’t fall into decompression. I’m glad we didn’t. We started very focused and gave Dender the feeling that there was nothing to be gained.”

Van Crombrugge also praised the team’s defensive effort, which secured yet another clean sheet: “That gives confidence. Not only for myself, but also for the team. Then you know that one goal can be enough.”

“We work very hard. If all the results go well and the work from day in day out pays off in the weekend, that gives extra energy. Then you want to go that little bit further every time,” 

The victory extends Genk’s lead at the top of the table to six points, underlining their dominance in the league. For Dender, it was another tough lesson in the realities of top-flight football, as they struggle to adapt to life in the Jupiler Pro League.