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Durosinmi earns praise after scoring on Genk debut
Rafiu Durosinmi was one of the few positives for Genk despite their 2-1 defeat by Zulte Waregem in the Belgian Pro League.
The Super Eagles striker marked his competitive debut for the Belgian club by scoring the opening goal, but Genk were unable to protect their advantage and ultimately left the match without a point.
Durosinmi joined Genk after a difficult spell with Pisa, who were relegated to Serie B in Italy. The 23-year-old was given an immediate opportunity to lead the attack and took little time to make an impression.
He put Genk ahead after meeting a cross from Japanese winger Junya Ito and applying the finishing touch. The goal offered an early indication of the attacking qualities Genk hoped the Nigerian forward would bring to the team.
Although the result was disappointing, Genk head coach Jess Thorup was encouraged by Durosinmi’s contribution. The manager praised the quality of Ito’s delivery, while also highlighting the striker’s individual attributes.
Thorup’s assessment reflects the expectations surrounding Durosinmi following his move to Genk. The Belgian club signed the Nigerian to provide an additional attacking option, and his ability to score on his competitive debut represented a promising start.
Durosinmi’s performance was recognised with the man-of-the-match award, but the individual honour could not disguise Genk’s failure to turn their early lead into victory. Zulte Waregem responded after falling behind and completed the comeback to claim all three points.
The defeat leaves Thorup with issues to resolve, even though his new striker delivered the kind of performance that can give the team encouragement. Genk surrendered their advantage and conceded twice as Zulte Waregem changed the course of the match.
For Durosinmi, the immediate challenge is to build on his first appearance and establish himself as an important part of Genk’s attack. His goal should provide confidence as he adapts to his new surroundings and seeks to maintain his place in the side.
Genk, meanwhile, will want the striker to offer a consistent threat in future matches. His debut showed that he can make an immediate contribution, but the team will need more than one encouraging display if they are to recover from the setback against Zulte Waregem.
The result ultimately overshadowed Durosinmi’s personal achievement. Nevertheless, his goal and overall performance gave Genk a positive feature to take from a match in which they failed to hold on to a lead.
