GAMES Anderlecht again lost 2-0 to Genk who overpowered Purple and White in all areas. A nippy Genk scored before halftime through Tolu and after halftime through Karetsas. Fortunately, the panicky Purple-White defense could count on Coosemans to prevent worse. Anderlecht only threatened a few times through Edozie, but was otherwise nowhere in attack. Another weak performance by Anderlecht in a top match.
Genk immediately took control of the game and already after 4 minutes the alarm bells were ringing in the Purple-White defense. Coosemans kept Tolu from scoring the 1-0 after a cross reached him very easily. After Genk's strong start, Anderlecht got into the game a little better around the quarter-hour mark, but they didn't get further than some poorly executed stoppages.
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Continue reading On the half hour, Tolu scored the 1-0 in almost the same way as his chance at the beginning of the game. Anderlecht's defense let a cross from the right pass too easily and Genk's top marksman now left Coosemans no chance. Anderlecht responded with a low shot from Edozie.
Genk remained dangerous and Coosemans kept El Ouahdi from scoring 2-0 on a counter. Defensively, there was mainly panic on the part of Anderlecht, which performed nothing offensively before halftime.
Genk did not hesitate to put Anderlecht under pressure again immediately after halftime. Coosemans saved a free kick by Karetsas. Anderlecht could then threaten after a slalom by Edozie, but Van Crombrugge saved. After that, Purple-White was able to limit the Genk attacking waves, but creating something offensively proved impossible.
The positive aggressiveness, which Genk showed since the early stages, paid off in minute 72 when N'Diaye was put off the ball. Bangoura launched Tolu who found Kartsas centrally, who placed the ball next to Coosemans. Ten minutes before time, Genk came close to scoring 3-0 through a header by Tolu and a place ball by Steuckers.
Anderlecht could threaten a few more times in the closing stages, but by then the ship had long sunk. Angulo shot wide from an oblique angle, Vazquez missed his control on a Dolberg cross and Dolberg himself kicked half a meter wide. Purple and white had best end the year winningly against Dender on Friday to then enter the hyper-short winter break.
