Trainer Chris Janssens was forced into several key personnel changes for Saturday's trip to Racing Genk. Maric, Grncarov, Saïdi, Mathisen and Claasen were all absent. Andreasson and Frans were the central defensive pairing for the first time this season in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Genk started in all out attack and for the first ten minutes Lierse were overrun. Kawashima made excellent saves from Limbombe and Buffel. In the 6th minute Barda wormed his way into the penalty area and was brought down by Andreasson, penalty. Vossen's spot kick was hard and low to Kawashima's right, but the Japanese keeper made an excellent save. Lierse then gradually got more into the match, and had shots via Gaxa and Huysegems. Possession percentage was almost even after 30 minutes. Good counter saw Dequevy deep down the right, but his cross was wayward. Five minutes before the break a cutting edge free kick from Gilberto, Huysegems just unable to get his head to it. In the 42nd minute Huysegems lost possession in the centre of the pitch, Limbombe crossed from the left and Barda at the far post headed back across Kawashima: 1-0 at the break.
The first decent chance of the second half came in the 52nd minute for Lierse. Bicycle kick from Huysegems well saved by Köteles. Lierse then had a couple of good moves, but the final pass let them down. Genk's play was unusually sloppy and they failed to create a chance in the first twenty minutes of the second half. In the 65th minute a shot from Dequevy from a tight angle went just wide of the far post. In the 75th minute a seemingly innocuos shot from 25 yards from Barda, the ball took a slight deflection off Andreasson, perhaps enough to deceive Kawashima, who allowed the ball to squirm under his body and over the goalline: 2-0. Lierse heads seemed to drop after that, Buffel made it 3-0 in the 82nd minute, and Vossen made the final score 4-0 in injury time.
Small consolation for Lierse was that Westerlo lost at Kortrijk, and perhaps a draw between Leuven and Zulte Waregem, the two teams immediately above Lierse in the table, was no bad result.
Next Saturday in form Kortrijk come to the Lisp.
Genk: Köteles, Toszer, Vossen, Vanden Borre ('18 Anele), Camus, Simaeys, Barda ('76 Dugary), Buffel, Nadson, Pudil ('24 Grimi), Limbombe.
Lierse: Kawashima, Dequevy ('65 Yasser), Elgabas, Vandooren, Gilberto ('76 Flavio), Frans, Gaxa, Ayew, Wils, Andreasson, Huysegems (80' Sonck).
Goals: 42' Barda (1-0), 75' Barda (2-0), 82' Buffel (3-0), 91' Vossen (4-0)
Booked: 32' Wils (L), 54' Grimi (G)
