Four things that stood out with Servette and Genk finely poised in battle to face Rangers in the Champions League
IT'S finely poised after the first leg as Servette and Genk do battle for the right to face Rangers in Champions League qualifying.
The sides played out an entertaining first leg in Geneva that ended in a 1-1 draw.
Michael Beale's Rangers are waiting in the third qualifying round for the winners of the tie.
That'll be decided in next week's second leg back in Belgium.
A towering header from Tolu Arokodare sent the Belgians on their way to an impressive first leg triumph in Switzerland.
Both sides had plenty of chances to score, but there was just one more goal to come.
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A powerful header from Steve Rouiller levelled it on the night - and in the tie - for the hosts.
It's still all to play for in the return leg - but we already know a lot more about the two sides vying to take on the Gers in Champions League qualifying.
Here's four things that stood out.
Set piece prowess
At 6ft 6in, Tolu Arokodare is a clear threat up top for Genk.
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And the 22-year old Nigerian striker underlined that threat with his opening goal in Geneva.
An incredible leap saw Arokodare, who broke through in Latvian football, tower above the defence and impressively guide a corner into the net in the 21st minute.
Just moments later, another corner caused havoc and Genk might've thought they should've made it 2-0 but the ball was scrambled to safety.
Should it be Genk who make it through to face Rangers, the Light Blues will have to be extremely switched on at each and every set piece.
While the big No.99 up front is the obvious danger, centre backs Mark McKenzie and Carlos Cuesta also offer a clear presence at dead ball situations.
It was another set piece that led to the equaliser, and it was poor defending from Genk at the opposite end.
Steve Rouiller didn't have a lot of space, with three Genk defenders around him, but he managed to beat them all to the ball to power home a brilliant header.
Both of these teams are clearly dangerous going forward and at dead balls, but both have defensive weaknesses that Rangers might fancy their chances of exploiting.
Servette expose Genk's weakness
Servette started the better and might've seen Arokodare's headed opener as a bit of a suckerpunch.
While it was an assured showing from Genk, Servette seemed to zone in on an area of weakness they saw in the Belgians.
And that weakness came down the right hand side, with Servette constantly going at the left side of Genk's backline, particularly left back Joris Kayembe.
Moments after the goal, Chris Bedia ghosted into the box with ease in behind the stray Genk defence and somehow pulled his shot wide with the goal gaping.
Alexis Antunes similarly glided into the box unchallenged to take possession soon after but was denied by a smart stop by highly rated keeper Maarten Vandevoordt.
Antunes then blasted a stunning effort from distance flush against the post as Servette continued to push for an equaliser.
It was more of the same in the second half with Enzo Crivelli easing in behind the left sided defence of Kayembe and Mark McKenzie, with keeper Vandevoordt once again bailing them out.
Rouiller's well-headed equaliser was also helped by some suspect defending, albeit from a dead ball on this occasion.
No doubt Rangers will be viewing this as area as Genk's weakness if it's the tie that materialises.
Impressive Genk wing play
Servette were finding plenty of joy attacking Genk's left side defence, but going forward down the flanks the Belgians are extremely dangerous.
They have two impressive outlets on the wings - and an even bigger danger they brought off the bench here.
In Alieu Fadera and Joseph Paintsil, the Belgians appear to have two players equally as happy to take the ball out wide as they are to cut inside and drive towards the defence.
On countless occasions, Genk quickly and impressively turned defence into attack.
Midfield duo Bryan Heynen and Patrik Hrosovsky are both extremely adept at taking possession, swiftly turning and sending the ball forward with barely a split second to think.
It makes for an extremely dangerous counter-attacking offence, and Fadera and Paintsil were consistently finding joy in getting into dangerous positions from both wide and more central positions.
Fadera's game lasted only 45 minutes - the manager perhaps concerned about the joy Servette were getting in an attacking sense down his side - and he was replaced by Mike Tresor.
The 24-year old Belgium international is a real danger man and he'll likely be starting if Genk make it through.
The tricky attacking midfielder racked up an incredible TWENTY-FOUR assists in the Belgian Pro League last season.
Heynen effect
The aforementioned Heynen is the heartbeat of this Genk team.
Picked out by former Genk assistant Alex Rae as the man to watch, the 26-year old showed exactly why he's the man to watch.
A midfielder who sits deep, Heynen has an excellent eye for a pass which was clear to be seen as he repeatedly and rapidly transitioned defensive recoveries into attacking plays.
Alongside Slovakian international Hrosovsky, Genk have a solid, efficient and effective midfield partnership and it's clear that this is where a showdown with Rangers could be won and lost.
Although primarily defensive, Heynen isn't afraid to break forward and he really should've scored early in the second half.
He fired straight down the keeper's throat when an effort either side of the stopper would've resulted in a goal.
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Servette grew more and more into the game in the second-half and it largely restricted Heynen's influence in an attacking sense.
But his first-half showing showed he's a man to be reckoned with.
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