GENK, Belgium (Interstat) — Racing Genk delivered a commanding performance Sunday, decisively defeating rival Gent 3-0 in a Belgian First Division A match at Cegeka Arena. The comprehensive victory, fueled by goals in the opening minute and just before halftime, allowed Genk to leapfrog Gent in the league standings as both clubs continue navigating inconsistent campaigns.

The match was effectively decided in its first moments. Genk attacker Zakaria El Ouahdi stunned the visiting supporters, finding the net just four minutes after kickoff to give the hosts an immediate and tangible advantage. The early goal set the tone, with Genk controlling the tempo and opportunities throughout the first half.

The pressure culminated in a second goal just before the break. In the 48th minute, midfielder Bryan Heynen provided the key pass, setting up forward Noah Adedeji to double Genk’s lead. Adedeji’s finish, a key performance in the match, left Gent with a steep challenge for the second half.

Gent, which entered the match with a league record of nine wins, ten losses and five draws, offered little in response offensively. The visitors failed to seriously threaten a comeback, managing no goals against a disciplined Genk defense. Their frustrations manifested late, with the match growing chippy in the final ten minutes. Gent’s Junya Itō received a yellow card in the 84th minute, followed by Genk’s Heynen in the 90th.

Genk sealed the result in stoppage time. In the first added minute, Yira Sor netted the third goal, putting a definitive exclamation point on the dominant display. The final whistle confirmed a 3-0 scoreline, a result that exceeded the projection of Interstat’s game simulator, which had predicted a 2-1 Genk victory. The statistical service’s ELO system had given Genk an 89.3 percent probability to win.

The outcome improves Genk’s record in First Division A play to nine wins, ten losses and six draws, moving them ahead of Gent, which now holds an identical number of wins and losses but with only five draws. Across all competitions this season, Genk now stands at ten wins, eleven losses and six draws, while Gent is nine wins, ten losses and five draws.

The match continued a trend of home dominance in the recent series between the clubs. The previous meeting this season, on Nov. 9, 2025, ended in a 1-1 draw at Gent’s home ground.

For Gent, the defeat halts momentum from a 3-2 victory over Sporting Charleroi in its last league outing on Feb. 14. The team will look to rebound next Sunday when it hosts Mechelen. Genk, which had suffered back-to-back losses to Standard Liege and Cercle Brugge prior to this match, will aim to build on this performance when it hosts Sporting Charleroi next Saturday.