Nigerian winger Philip Otele was on target for Basel but could not prevent his side from falling to a 2-1 defeat against Belgian outfit Genk in their Europa League clash on Thursday night, Bold Sports reports.
Genk, who have suffered just one defeat in the competition this season, made a bright start and were rewarded in the 14th minute when striker Hyun-Gyu Oh fired home to put the hosts ahead. Youngster Konstantinos Karetsas doubled their advantage on the stroke of halftime, capping an impressive first-half display and giving the Belgians a comfortable 2-0 lead at the break.
Basel emerged stronger in the second half, and Otele halved the deficit in the 57th minute with a composed finish, ending his eight-game goal drought and raising hopes of a comeback.
The Swiss side dominated proceedings thereafter but failed to capitalise on their momentum, with Genk holding firm to secure their third Europa League win of the campaign.
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Despite the setback, Basel remain in the playoff positions, sitting 24th with six points from five matches. Their next fixture against Premier League side Aston Villa is now crucial to their hopes of staying in the competition.
For Genk, the victory lifts them to ninth on the table with 10 points. A win in their upcoming clash against FC Midtjylland could push them into the top eight and strengthen their bid for automatic qualification to the Round of 16.
Otele’s strike takes his season tally to seven goals and three assists, an impressive return for the 26-year-old who is attracting interest from some top clubs across Europe.
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