Cercle Brugge hands Racing Genk a new uppercut and participates for the European tickets

Cercle Brugge-Racing Genk was a particularly important race for fourth place. The Limburgers had four points more than Cercle, so a win would almost guarantee them the jump-off match against KAA Gent.

Racing Genk started the match well, after ten minutes they scored immediately. Daland placed a cross from El Ouahdi at the feet of El Hadj who kicked the ball with the outside right into the top left corner.

Genk could not enjoy that lead for long. Lemaréchal scored the equalizer three minutes in with a volley. Cercle went all out, after 25 minutes Efekele kicked in a deflected cross from Denkey from close range.

El Ouahdi misses an equalizer, Somers delivers the final blow

In the sixth of eight minutes of extra time, a great chance from El Ouahdi to make it 2-2 was blocked by Ravych, and a minute later the score was 3-1 on the other side. A failed shot by Denkey ended up with Somers, who doubled the lead.

Cercle Brugge continued to steam ahead in the second half, with top scorer Denkey also making it 4-1 on the hour mark. Denkey’s 50th goal in the Cercle shirt. Tolu kicked Ravych’s chance to make it 4-2 into an almost empty goal, symbolic of the Genk match.

With a third heavy defeat in a row, Racing Genk sees Cercle Brugge drop to one point in the standings. There will be a fierce battle for fourth place on the last three matchdays.