The Nigeria striker scored Genk’s second goal and was named man of the match as the Belgian side reached the last 16 of the Croky Cup.
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Genk coach Jess Thorup has praised Nigeria striker Rafiu Durosinmi after his goal helped the Belgian side beat Virton 2-0 in the Croky Cup on Saturday. As reported by FootballInNigeria.com.ng, the win took Genk into the last 16 of the Belgian Cup.
Durosinmi scored in the 28th minute, finishing from a tight angle after a pass from Junya Ito. It took his tally to seven goals in all competitions for the Pro League side, according to reports.
Daan Heymans had put Genk ahead in the 17th minute with a header from a Joris Kayembe cross. Genk kept control after the break, and Virton, who play in the second tier Challenger Pro League, never really troubled goalkeeper Tobe Leysen.
Thorup Pleased With The Mentality
Thorup said he enjoyed the first half and liked the way his team won duels and found solutions as planned. “I especially liked the mentality of my players,” he said, as quoted by Het Belang van Limburg.
He also admitted the long bus trip to Virton made the job harder, and said the qualification felt good. He added that Genk can now look forward to the big match against Standard Liège.
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Durosinmi’s Early Impact
Durosinmi joined Genk from Pisa in the summer and has made an immediate impact. Belgian outlet Sporza named him man of the match in Virton.
Durosinmi warned that underestimating a lower-league side is a team’s biggest enemy, and said the players had motivated one another before kick off.
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What Next For Genk
Genk travelled to Virton after a 3-0 win over Kortrijk, and Thorup used almost the same starting line-up for both games.
Is Durosinmi becoming Genk’s key man? His seven goals suggest so, but Thorup also pointed to the quality of his two centre forwards, so competition for places remains.
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Next up is the league clash with Standard Liège, a game Thorup called important. Durosinmi will hope to keep his scoring run going.
📌 Did You Know?
- Genk had won the Belgian Cup five times by 2021, when they beat Standard Liège 2-1 in the final.
- Goalkeeper Tobe Leysen joined Genk from OH Leuven in August 2023.
- Junya Ito, who set up Durosinmi’s goal, is a Japan international.
- Genk coach Jess Thorup is Danish.
- Virton are coached by Drazen Brncic.
