K.R.C. Genk had to settle for a point in a 1-1 draw with AA Gent at the Cegeka Arena on Saturday. Wouter Vrancken's side fell behind early but produced a dominant second-half display, with top scorer Rafiu Durosinmi heading home the equaliser.
The visitors from Gent started brighter and were rewarded after ten minutes. A cross from Tiago Araújo found the unmarked Momodou Sonko, who slotted the ball past goalkeeper Lucca Brughmans. Genk struggled to get going and allowed Gent to dictate the play in the first period. "For the first half-hour we played Genk virtually off the park," said Gent midfielder Mathias Delorge afterwards.
The turnaround came immediately after the break. Within two minutes, Rafiu Durosinmi headed home the equaliser from a Junya Ito delivery. That goal gave Genk wings. The Limburgers took complete control of the initiative and put Gent under constant pressure. Rik De Mil's team, however, dropped deep and held on mainly through organised defensive work. Genk created chances but could not find a way past the Gent defence and goalkeeper Tibe De Vlieger.
The draw means Genk remain in ninth place in the Jupiler Pro League, with nine points from six matches. The team is now unbeaten in its last five league games, with two wins and three draws. The gap to leaders Union St. Gilloise stands at seven points. The full standings can be found here.
For manager Wouter Vrancken, the strong second half provides positives, but the slow start is a concern. The team showed resilience by coming back straight after half-time, but lacked the cutting edge to force a win. Durosinmi's five goals this season remain a bright spot; the Nigerian headed home his sixth league goal of the campaign on Saturday.
Attention now turns to next Saturday's away fixture against Club Brugge. The side from Bruges sit third and represent a tough test. Genk will hope for a more complete ninety-minute performance. The upcoming fixtures show a challenging run against direct rivals. Squad details and the current injuries list will be key in preparing for that crunch match.
The 1-1 draw with Gent is the third in a row in the league, following earlier stalemates against Anderlecht (0-0) and Antwerp (4-4). The team is proving hard to beat, but must now turn draws into wins to close the gap in the table. The next opportunity to do so comes at the Jan Breydel Stadium.
This story first appeared at HLN Voetbal
