Liverpool VS. Genk: As It Happened in Champions League Group E

Posted by Ben Macrae on November 19th, 2019

It took around 18 months for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to feel like a champion Liverpool member. His long wait to score for the team ended, beautifully, against Belgian club Genk where he scored twice and helped Liverpool to put an end to its two-year run of away defeats in the group stage of the Champions League.  

Oxlade-Chamberlain scored a stunning goal in each half of the game. It was the first time in the last three years when the Liverpool midfielder scored a brilliant double in a match. The club’s 4-1 win in Genk not only ended Oxlade-Chamberlain’s goal-drought but also helped Klopp’s team to taste an away win in the group phase after two years.     

Five months ago, Oxlade-Chamberlain was seen in Liverpool FC apparel after a serious knee injury. Since then, fans were waiting for him to prove that his rehabilitation was completed. The English professional footballer eased the Reds out of a discomfort zone with two beautiful, sublime goals. 

Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sadio Mane, and Mohamed Salah destroyed Genk Attack 

With his two stunning goals, midfielder Oxlade-Chamberlain announced his comeback after an 18-month absence. The match against Genk, which ended with a 4-1 score, proved to be a proud game for the 26-year-old Liverpool midfielder. His outside-of-the-foot stunner came in the second half that showed his skills. 

Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane scored two goals for the Reds and made the scoreline reach 4-1. Salah, who returned to the side after an ankle injury, was impressive throughout the game. Although the Egyptian professional footballer wasn’t in top gear against Genk, he managed to have a big influence. His movements on the field were indicating the Liverpool FC shoes the team missed at Man United. His goal came in the 87th minute of the game. 

Sadio Mane added the third goal in the scoreline for Liverpool. Throughout the game against Genk, he was at his devastating best and proved why he was the right left-sided option for the club. 

Easy Win for Liverpool, Genk Missed Several Chances

The 4-1 scorecard was satisfactory and suggested an easy win for the Reds. Although Genk succeeded in scoring just one goal, which came in the 88th minute of the match by Stephen Odey, Felice Mazzù’s team had multiple opportunities to punish a porous. They had many chances, especially in the first half, when unprotected Liverpool defense was focusing on attacking its opponent. 

Oxlade-Chamberlain said He Missed the Champions League! 

After two stunning goals, Oxlade-Chamberlain spoke about his love for the Champions League. He accepted that he missed the special tournament. He also explained how he felt the last year when he sat on the bench and saw his teammates doing well on the field.

Oxlade-Chamberlain said that it was an amazing experience to be back in the starting lineup and scoring two goals in a match. 

Liverpool Condemned the Divock Origi Banner 

A racist banner, unfurled in the away end before Wednesday's match, depicting striker Divock Origi was condemned by Liverpool. In a statement, the club announced that the banner unfurled inside the stadium by Liverpool fans was unacceptable. 

Although the banner was taken away before the game begins, it made its way to social media platforms. Liverpool said that the club took the matter seriously and planned to take action against the ones responsible for the banner. According to the recent statement by the club, it has been working with local authorities to know about the people behind the banner. 

Divock Origi had scored the winning goal for Liverpool in the 2019 Champions League final. He came as a substitute in the game against Genk in the 80th minute. 

The recent racial incident is not the first time something like this happened in the football world. A few days ago, Haringey Borough walked off the field after a racist abuse. Before that, England's male national team experience a similar incident in Sofia during their match against Bulgaria.