Genk failed to conclude the year 2024 with a victory on Thursday afternoon. After a very pleasant match, the leader drew 2-2 at Antwerp FC. Kos Karetsas could have decided otherwise.
The Belgian of Greek origin is only 17 years old, but he is considered one of the greatest talents in Belgian football. He demonstrated it again last weekend by capping his excellent match against RSC Anderlecht with his first professional goal.
Despite this impressive performance, Karetsas started Thursday’s match on the bench. An understandable choice from coach Thorsten Fink. Antwerp are tough opponents, and a physical fight was expected. In addition, we are careful not to skip steps with this young talent.
A costly missed opportunity
Midway through the second half, the young player was finally thrown into the fray. And Karetsas immediately proved himself. He shone again with some great actions. In the very last minutes, he even had the opportunity to score the winning goal. But in the end, he shot this excellent opportunity well over the bar.
A painful missed opportunity, but Karetsas received support from his teammates after the match. Particularly from Patrik Hrosovsky, a direct competitor for a starting place. “Next week that opportunity will come. Hrosovsky comforted me again by saying that I played well when I came on and that I didn’t reward myself at the end,” he told Het Belang van Limburg.
Respect pour Fink
With his impactful performance as a substitute, Karetsas proved that he deserves a place in the starting team. But the technical player doesn’t blame Fink for making him start on the bench. “I always want to start, especially after the good feeling last week. But the coach makes another decision, and we have to respect it. I think I handled it well,” he concluded soberly.
