KRC Genk were already facing an uphill battle at halftime on Wednesday in their friendly against Bayer Leverkusen, with the German side leading 2-0 after goals from Belocian and Tella.
The match offered an early look at how Genk are shaping up in an oefenwedstrijd, but the bigger takeaway was the gap on the scoreboard. Bayer Leverkusen controlled the first half well enough to go into the break with a two-goal cushion, while Genk were left trying to find a response after the interval.
Genk lineup note: no Karetsas
There was no trace of Karetsas in the Genk squad, and that came on a busy Wednesday for the player. He announced his farewell the same day, with Thursday mentioned as the point when he was expected to sign his contract with Borussia Dortmund if everything went well.
Genk did, however, give a start to Durosinmi, the club's record transfer, alongside Erenbjerg. That made the lineup worth watching even before kickoff, with the club using the friendly to assess both continuity and new personnel.
For Genk, the first half was less about the scoreline alone and more about the combination of a notable absence and a tough test against a strong opponent. The 2-0 deficit to Bayer Leverkusen at halftime underlined how much work remained, even in a preseason setting.
As friendlies often do, this one provided a snapshot rather than a final verdict. But in this case, the snapshot was clear: Bayer Leverkusen were ahead, Genk were missing Karetsas, and Durosinmi got the chance to lead the line from the start.
