Genk Beat Dynamo 3 - 1

13 minutes ago

5 min read

This match was the first leg of a playoff tie in the UEFA Europa League. Dinamo Zagreb is a famous club from Croatia. Genk (also called KRC Genk) is a club from Belgium. In a playoff tie, the teams play two matches. The team with the most goals in total goes to the next round.

Match Report

A Difficult First Half for Dinamo

The match started at Stadion Maksimir in Zagreb. Dinamo played at home in front of their own fans, so many people expected them to play well. However, Genk had a better plan. After just 15 minutes, Genk's midfielder Bryan Heynen scored the first goal. Just six minutes later, Zakaria El Ouahdi made it 2–0. Zagreb's defence had serious problems early in the game.

Dinamo did not give up. Just before half-time, Croatian striker Dion Beljo scored to make it 1–2. This gave Dinamo hope going into the second half.

Genk Take Control in the Second Half

In the second half, Dinamo tried hard to equalise. Their substitutes Lisica, Vidovic, and Varela came on to help, but Genk defended well. In the 77th minute, El Ouahdi scored his second goal after a cross from Daan Heymans. The final score was 3–1 to Genk.

Goal Timeline

Minute	Event	Score after goal
15'	GOAL - Bryan Heynen (Genk)	Dinamo 0 – 1 Genk
21'	GOAL - Zakaria El Ouahdi (Genk)	Dinamo 0 – 2 Genk
44'	GOAL - Dion Beljo (Dinamo Zagreb)	Dinamo 1 – 2 Genk
77'	GOAL - Zakaria El Ouahdi (Genk)	Dinamo 1 – 3 Genk (final)

What Happens Next?

The second leg will take place in Genk, Belgium. Because of tonight’s result, Genk have a 2-goal advantage. To progress to the next round, Dinamo Zagreb need to win by at least three goals in Belgium — which is very difficult. Genk are the clear favourites to reach the Round of 16.

Football Glossary

Study these words carefully. They are highlighted in bold in the report above. Use this glossary to help you answer the vocabulary questions below.

Word / Phrase	Definition	Example sentence
First leg noun phrase	The first of two matches between two teams in the same round of a competition.	"Genk won the first leg 3-1."
Midfielder noun	A player who plays in the middle area of the pitch. They help in both attack and defence.	"Heynen is a midfielder who scored in the 15th minute."
Striker noun	A forward player whose main job is to score goals.	"Beljo is Dinamo's main striker."
Defence noun	The players who try to stop the other team from scoring.	"Dinamo's defence had problems in the first half."
Half-time noun	The break in the middle of a football match, after 45 minutes.	"The score at half-time was 1-2."
Equalise verb	To score a goal that makes the score level (the same).	"Dinamo tried to equalise in the second half."
Substitute noun / verb	A player who enters the pitch to replace another player during the match.	"Vidovic came on as a substitute."
Cross noun / verb	A pass from the side of the pitch into the centre, near the goal.	"Heymans crossed the ball and El Ouahdi scored."
Advantage noun	A better position or situation compared to the other team.	"Genk have a 2-goal advantage going into the second leg."
Favourite noun	The team most people think will win.	"Genk are the favourites to go through."
Tactics noun (plural)	The plan a team uses to win a match.	"Genk's tactics were excellent tonight."
Formation noun	The way a team's players are organised on the pitch, e.g. 4-3-3.	"Genk used a 4-2-3-1 formation."

Vocabulary Questions

Answer the questions below. Use the match report and glossary above to help you. Write your answers in the spaces provided.

Question 1 — Multiple Choice

Dion Beljo scored a goal in the 44th minute. What is his position?

• A) Goalkeeper

• B) Midfielder

• C) Striker ← circle your answer

• D) Defender

Your answer: _________________________________

Question 2 — Multiple Choice

The score at half-time was 1–2. What did Dinamo Zagreb try to do in the second half?

• A) They tried to equalise.

• B) They tried to substitute all their players.

• C) They decided to stop attacking.

• D) They tried to cross the ball from the middle.

Your answer: _________________________________

Question 3 — Multiple Choice

Which word means "a player who enters the pitch to replace another player during the match"?

• A) Formation

• B) Substitute

• C) Cross

• D) Advantage

Your answer: _________________________________

Question 4 — Multiple Choice

Genk won 3–1 tonight. How many goals must Dinamo score in the second leg to go through?

• A) At least one goal

• B) Exactly two goals

• C) At least three goals, and they must not concede

• D) They have already been eliminated

Your answer: _________________________________

Question 5 — Fill in the Blank

Complete the sentence with the correct word from the glossary:

Genk's coach used a 4-2-3-1 ______________________, which helped them control the midfield.

Answer: _________________________________

Question 6 — Fill in the Blank

Complete the sentence with the correct word from the glossary:

After the first leg, Genk are the clear ______________________ to win the tie, because they already have a 2-goal lead.

Answer: _________________________________

Question 7 — True or False

Read the sentence and write TRUE or FALSE: "Dinamo Zagreb played this match at Genk's stadium in Belgium."

Answer: _________________________________

Question 8 — Short Answer

In your own words, explain what a 'playoff tie' is in football. Use the match report to help you.

Answer: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

Answer Key (for Teachers)

1. C) Striker

2. A) They tried to equalise.

3. B) Substitute

4. C) At least three goals, and they must not concede

5. Formation

6. Favourites

7. FALSE — they played at Dinamo's stadium in Zagreb, Croatia.

8. A playoff tie is a two-match series. Both teams play once at home and once away. The team with the most goals in total goes to the next round.

Useful Football Phrases (B1)

Learn these phrases to talk and write about football in natural English.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
to take the lead	To score first and be winning.	"Genk took the lead after 15 minutes."
to give up	To stop trying.	"Even at 0-2, Dinamo did not give up."
to come on	To enter the pitch as a substitute.	"Vidovic came on in the second half."
to go through	To qualify for the next round.	"Genk are likely to go through."
to be knocked out	To be eliminated from the competition.	"Dinamo are in danger of being knocked out."
in front of their fans	Playing at home, with your supporters watching.	"Zagreb played in front of their fans but lost."