Pavlos Laguretos
(204677) Genk at (204678) KV Kortrijk
Kortrijk vs Genk
Belgium, Saturday, 12:15pm ET
Play: Genk -1
Odds at Time of Release: -115
Line Parameter: Playable to -125
Two teams in the opposite side of the Belgian league table will lock horns on Saturday, when Kortrijk (#15) will play host to Genk (#1). Kortrijk are having a very bad season, sitting 2nd to last with just 8 points after 9 matches (W2 D2 L5), scoring just 6 and conceding 15 goals. They are coming off a 3-0 loss to Royale Union and they have lost all 5 matches against teams from the top half of the league table, also losing to Club Brugge by 3-0. They barely avoided relegation (in the relegation playoffs) last season, and they have made a poor start this season.
Genk have no European competitions to distract them this season and are having a really good start (W7 D1 L1), scoring 20 goals and conceding 11 in the process. They are already 6 points above Antwerp and Gent, and they now have a great opportunity to widen the gap against a bad Kortrijk side. Gent have won 7 in a row, scoring 2+ goals in all 7 but keeping just 2 clean sheets. They might need multiple goals to win this one, as Kortrijk could score once against a Genk defense that is not that great.
Genk have the best xG difference/game in this league with +1.45, while Kortrijk have the 3rd worst with -0.49/game. And even if we split these two into home and away, Kortrijk have a +0.07 xG difference/game at home, while Genk have +1.85 on the road. BIG difference.
Genk easily beat Kortrijk in both matches last season, by 4-0 at home and by 3-0 in this venue, they have made a terrific start in the new season, while Kortrijk simply cannot get results against the big ones.
Take 4% on Genk -1 (-115), playable to -125