Genk 1-0 Cork City

A moment of class from Genk teenager Leon Bailey was all that separated the sides in the third qualifying round of the Europa League at the Luminous Stadium as Cork City fell to a 1-0 defeat in Belgium.

City went behind for the first time in their five European games so far this summer when a lapse in concentration at the back allowed Bailey race clear and fire a wicked left-foot shot beyond the reach of Mark McNulty.

Genk will play their first league game of the season this Sunday, and Cork will be disappointed not to have scored with Sean Maguire, Steven Beattie and Gearoid Morrissey all having opportunities to nab a vital away goal.

The visitors were unchanged from the team that claimed victory over BK Hacken last week and included injury concern Greg Bolger as expected.

Genk made three changes in total. Sandy Walsh came in for the injured Timothy Castagne with Dries Wouters drafted in to fill the void left by Bennard Kumordzi, who was sent off during the club's tie against Buducnost Podgorica in the previous round. Manager Peter Maes was, however, able to welcome back Spanish playmaker Alejandro Pozuelo with Yoni Buyens dropping to the bench.

The SSE Airtricity League side saw plenty of ball early on as both sides tested each other out initially. A handful of City free kicks came to naught before the first half chance fell to the men in blue.

Former Rangers man Thomas Buffel chased down a lost ball with Kevin O'Connor out of position. The Genk captain fired a decent cross inside into the box where a waiting Pozuelo headed to the right of Mark McNulty's post without troubling the City keeper.

Greek international Nikolaos Karelis flashed a long-range effort beyond the opposite post three minutes later before City registered the first shot on target in the game.

Beattie picked up a loose ball on 12 minutes, and took a touch to create space for himself before firing straight at Marco Bizot, who parried the ball away and out for a corner. Maguire then headed over from a second consecutive O'Connor corner two minutes later.

Just when the Leesiders looked to have settled nicely into the contest though, Pozuelo intercepted a ball from Maguire to Michael McSweeney and set Karelis and then Jamaican Leon Bailey clear down the left.

The latter showed a turn of pace many of his compatriots would be proud of, took a touch and finished superbly from a tight angle.

Caulfield's men survived another scare on 36 minutes when Pozuelo floated a free kick into the box but it was just beyond the reach of Karelis and was left for McNulty to gather.

Three minutes later and Genk were on the attack again. This time it was Ally Samatta that charged down the park before passing out left to Bailey. He fired another effort on target; on this occasion though, McNulty was equal to the task and collected with little difficulty.

The visitors, to their credit, started the second half brightly. Alan Bennett forced Bizot into action on 51 minutes, heading straight at the Genk keeper from O'Connor's free kick. Maguire then fired over from close range, getting to the end of a neat cross from Beattie, two minutes later.

The Kilkenny native ran on to a long ball forward a minute later again but though he was able to race through on goal, his final effort drifted to the right and wide of the Genk post.

Pozuelo tested McNulty with a free kick with 67 minutes on the clock but the City defence held resolute.

Gearoid Morrissey then had a glorious chance to level matters as the match ticked into its final quarter. Dooley's trickery allowed him beat Sandy Walsh and then feed the ball inside to Morrissey, who hit the ball first time but just wide of target.

Bailey and Samatta had long-range efforts saved by McNulty in the final minutes. However, a second goal never materialised, giving City plenty to fight for in the second leg of the tie next Thursday night at Turner's Cross.

KRC Genk: Marco Bizot; Sandy Walsh, Sébastien Dewaest, Dries Wouters, Jere Uronen; Wilfred Ndidi; Thomas Buffel, Alejandro Pozuelo (Brian Heynen '82), Ally Samatta, Leon Bailey; Nikolaos Karelis (Neeskens Kebano '72).

Substitutes: Laszlo Koteles, Leandro Trossard, Paolo Sabak, Christophe Janssens, Yoni Buyens.

Cork City: Mark McNulty; Michael McSweeney, Alan Bennett, Kenny Browne, Kevin O'Connor; Steven Beattie (Danny Morrissey '83), Garry Buckley, Greg Bolger, Gearoid Morrissey, Stephen Dooley; Sean Maguire (Mark O'Sullivan '86).

Substitutes: Matthew Connor, Colin Healy, Gavan Holohan, Karl Sheppard, Ian Turner.

Referee: Clayton Pisani (Malta)