K.R.C. Genk has secured a crucial win in the battle for Play-off 1. The team, led by coach Nicky Hayen, won the Limburg derby against Sint-Truiden 1-0. Just like against Freiburg in the Europa League, Zakaria El Ouahdi was the match winner with his goal. Before the match, the roles were reversed for the first time in years: underdog Genk had to win to meet the requirements of the pursuers, while STVV appeared as the stable subtopper at the kick-off. The match started with a lot of struggle and passion, with the young Konstantinos Karetsas and Robin Mirisola at Genk drawing attention with some technical highlights. In the 20th minute, the stadium erupted. Mirisola set up Zakaria El Ouahdi with a brilliant heel pass. The Moroccan, who played his 100th match for the club today, did not hesitate and scored the 1-0 hard against the ropes. STVV tried to react immediately through the busy Robert-Jan Vanwesemael and Ryotaro Ito, but the Genk block, led by an unyielding Matte Smets, did not budge. Goalkeeper Kokubo had to make several saves at the other end to prevent a double deficit for the Canaries. In the second half, STVV coach Felice Mazzu tried to turn the tide with attacking substitutions. Supersub Kaito Matsuzawa and the fresh Oumar Diouf were thrown into the fray to increase creativity. Although Sint-Truiden camped on the home team's half at times, the really big chances remained out. The Truiense sharpshooter Keisuke Goto remained dry for the fourth game in a row, partly due to the strong defensive work of Kayembe and Kongolo. Genk lurked on the counter and was close to the decision via Heynen and the substituted Steuckers, but Kokubo kept the hope for the yellow shirts alive. In the final phase, it was mainly a nervous wait for the Genk fans, but the collective block held firm. Due to this defeat, STVV misses the chance to definitively eliminate Genk from the Champions' Play-offs. For the Canaries, the coveted smurfentaart — the traditional treat after a derby win against Genk — remains in the bakery for the fourth year in a row. K.R.C. Genk has now taken an important step in the battle for Play-off 1. The team of Nicky Hayen must now look ahead and prepare for the next match. The Limburg derby is always a special match, but for K.R.C. Genk it was mainly a must-win. The win is a huge relief for the players and the supporters. K.R.C. Genk has shown that it is a team that can win, even against strong opponents. The coming weeks will be exciting for the supporters of K.R.C. Genk. The team must now look ahead and prepare for the next challenges. The battle for Play-off 1 is far from over, but K.R.C. Genk has now taken an important step.