Genk vs Rapid Vienna Predictions

• Genk need to win and hope West Ham beat Dinamo Zagreb to claim second place in Group H, otherwise a draw will see them into the Europa Conference League.
• Genk sacked manager John van den Brom this week after going seven games without victory.
• Rapid Vienna have won only one of their last six games.
• 80% of each team’s games in this group have featured fewer than four goals in total.

Crisis of confidence for both sides in Belgium

Confidence in neither camp is particularly high, which is why Thursday’s Group H meeting between Genk and Rapid Vienna could be a relatively dull affair. The Belgians acted to arrest a seven-game winless run by sacking coach John van den Brom this week.

Genk’s recent demise can be traced to the point at which last season’s prolific top-scorer Paul Onuachu forgot where the back of the net was. The Nigerian had hit 42 goals in 46 league games from the start of the 2020-21 season through to the end of September, but has managed just one in his past seven since then.

He had been dropped to the bench recently too, but will surely get another chance when a new coach takes charge. Genk will go into this game under the care of interim boss Glen Riddersholm, who came in as an assistant only a month ago.

Few recent positives for Rapid

Rapid’s recent results are hardly any better, with the Vienna club having won just one of their last six games. Both previous road trips in Group H have ended in defeat and they couldn’t take many positives from their 2-0 home defeat to West Ham last time out either.

Backing against goals appears the best way to go here because the odds-on price for Genk to bounce back is far too short to be worth breaking seat for.

Fewer than four goals have been scored in 80% of both teams’ fixtures in this group stage and with neither side particularly potent at the moment, we’re happy to weigh win with under 3.5 again here.

If Riddersholm gets Genk, who have the more talented group of players, organised at the back, they can get the win they need, so we will take a 2-1 home win for the correct score play.