GENK, Belgium (Interstat) — Standard Liege opened its First Division A season with a commanding 3-0 road victory over Genk on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026, at Cegeka Arena. The win defied pregame projections that heavily favored the hosts.

All three goals came from second-half substitutes. Ibe Hautekiet opened the scoring in the 36th minute, followed by Rafiki Saïd just before halftime in the 45th. Adnane Abid sealed the result in the 74th minute.

The victory gives Standard Liege a winning start to the domestic campaign, while Genk begins with a loss. The outcome was a statistical surprise, as Genk was given a 71.9% win probability by Interstat’s ELO system.