Mechelen took an early lead against Genk, but the visitors quickly responded in a back-and-forth match. Myron Van Brederode opened the scoring for the home side in the 20th minute, giving Mechelen a 1-0 advantage.
The play began with a cross from the right wing, with Van Brederode connecting on a volley. The initial shot was deflected off the post by Tobias Lawal, but Van Brederode was there to capitalize on the rebound and slot the ball into the net. Genk didn’t stay behind for long, leveling the score just six minutes later through Aaron Bibout.
Junya Ito delivered a cross into the box, finding Bibout’s head. The header struck the post, but Bibout followed up on the rebound to score, tying the game at 1-1 in the 26th minute. The quick exchange of goals highlighted an exciting start to the match as both teams battled for positioning in the league standings.
