Ghana’s Joseph Paintsil scores brace as Genk intensify title chase in Belgium
In a remarkable display, Joseph Paintsil, the Ghanaian winger in excellent form, scored two goals to propel KRC Genk to a victory over Club Brugge in the Belgian Jupiler Pro League championship playoffs on Sunday.
Paintsil found the back of the net in both halves, contributing significantly to Genk’s comfortable 3-1 win at the Jan Breydel Stadion, thereby maintaining their momentum in the title race.
The 25-year-old wasted no time, opening the scoring in the 12th minute with an assist from Toluwalase Emmanuel Arokodare.
However, the home team equalized in the 64th minute through their captain Hans Vanaken, who was set up by Mats Rits.
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Nevertheless, Slovakia midfielder Patrik Hrosovsky quickly restored the advantage for Genk in the 81st minute. Paintsil then sealed the victory with another goal in the final four minutes of the match.
With one game remaining in the season, Genk currently sits in third place in the league standings, trailing Royal Antwerp and Royale Union SG by just one point.
If Genk manages to defeat Antwerp next weekend while Brugge trips up against Royale Union, Genk could secure the 2022-23 league title.
During the match, Black Stars defender Denis Odoi played the full duration, while his compatriot Kamal Sowah remained an unused substitute for Brugge.
Paintsil has been a lethal force for Genk throughout the season, tallying an impressive 17 goals and providing 12 assists in 35 appearances in the top-tier Belgian league.
