Zakarîa El Wahadi Guides Genk to Victory Against Utrecht in the Europa League
Lionel Messi said as much during the last FIFA World Cup. “Every game is unique, and we leave everything on the pitch.” This attitude echoes in the heart of Zakarîa El Wahadi, the Moroccan international who led his team, Racing Genk, to a cherished 2-0 victory against FC Utrecht on Thursday night in the 7th round of the Europa League.
Stunning opener by El Wahadi
The first goal for Genk came from El Wahadi in the 54th minute with a superb acrobatic strike. The goalkeeper of Utrecht failed to properly clear the ball, allowing El Wahadi to capitalize. A slight deflection from defender Maik Eerdhuijzen altered the ball’s trajectory, finding the back of the net and sending the Dutch crowd into stunned silence.
A penalty to seal the victory
Dani Heymans extended the lead for Genk in the 83rd minute with a penalty, awarded following a foul by Moroccan international Sofiane El Karouani on Konstantinos Karetzas inside the box. This ensured the decisive second goal of the match.
Climbing the standings and securing qualification
With this win, Genk rises to 10th place with 13 points, keeping alive their hopes of finishing among the top eight teams, which would guarantee a spot in the Round of 16. The Belgian side also secured qualification for the playoff round, benefiting from the three points acquired in the Netherlands.
