Fortuna Sittard vs Genk

Fortuna doubled their lead in the 35th minute through a moment of individual brilliance. Ihattaren picked up the ball outside the box and unleashed a ferocious strike that flew past the Genk goalkeeper before he could react. The goal gave Fortuna a 2-0 cushion that effectively killed the contest as a contest.

Hübner had rattled the crossbar moments earlier, and the Dutch side could easily have been further ahead. Genk's best chance before the second break fell to Akpan, whose effort was smartly saved by goalkeeper Branderhorst in the 59th minute.

Genk pulled one back in the 75th minute when Bibout was teed up by Steuckers and finished calmly, setting up a tense final quarter-hour. But Fortuna held firm and saw out the 2-1 win.

Divaio Zeefuik — Opened the scoring with a composed finish after a well-worked team move and hit the post with a mazy run later in the first period. A constant threat in the final third.

Mohamed Ihattaren — Produced the match's standout moment with a stunning long-range strike that left the Genk goalkeeper with no chance. His quality in tight spaces was evident throughout.

Antonia Peterson — The right-back was the creative hub for Fortuna, providing the assist for Zeefuik's opener and delivering multiple dangerous crosses that caused Genk problems all afternoon.

Branderhorst — Made a crucial save from Akpan at 2-0 to keep Genk at bay and was composed when called upon in the final period.

The match was played in a 3x30-minute format, so standard 90-minute statistics don't translate directly. That said, Fortuna's 2-0 lead at the halfway point (after 60 minutes) reflected their clear territorial dominance. The 11th-minute goal came from Fortuna's first real period of sustained pressure, and the 2-0 strike from Ihattaren shifted the expected outcome decisively. Genk's xG was largely concentrated in the final 30-minute period after they fell two behind, and their sole goal — Bibout's 75th-minute finish — was their only clear-cut chance of the afternoon.

Sports Mole's pre-match model gave Fortuna a 30.82% win probability, with the actual 2-1 scoreline landing at a 7.33% likelihood — a result that was far from the betting favourite but reflected Fortuna's clinical edge on the day.

Fortuna Sittard have now won both of their pre-season friendlies, following a 1-0 victory over Lierse Kempenzonen on 3 July 2026. Genk, who had beaten Waasland-Beveren 2-1 on 8 July, suffered their first pre-season defeat. Both sides continue their build-up to the new season. Fortuna's next fixture in the Eredivisie campaign is yet to be confirmed; Genk will prepare for the 2026-27 Jupiler Pro League season.

A deserved win for Fortuna Sittard, who were the sharper side across the first two periods and clinically took their chances. The 2-0 lead was a fair reflection of the balance of play before Genk's late consolation. For a pre-season friendly, the intensity and quality — particularly from Fortuna's wide players — was encouraging. Genk will want to tighten up defensively before the real action begins.