Aaron Bibout moves up scoring charts with brace for Jong Genk in Belgian second tier

Aaron Bibout scored twice as a dream start lifted Jong Genk to a 3-2 victory over RSCA Futures in Belgium’s second tier Challenger Pro League on Tuesday.

The Cameroonian forward is enjoying a strong first season with the reserve team of top tier side KRC Genk, who held off a comeback attempt to overcome the reserve team of Anderlecht.

It did not take long for the action to accelerate in a frantic opening twenty minutes. Before six minutes had elapsed, Bibout converted with a penalty kick down the middle to put the hosts ahead after Ali Camara was tripped up in the box. Luca Oyen doubled the lead less than three minutes later.

But the early action was far from finished. Bibout showed off his physical abilities in the 11th minute when he ran onto a long ball over the top of the RSCA Futures defense. Holding off a defender, he benefited from some luck as his shot attempt took a deflection to loop over goalkeeper Michiel Haentjens.

RSCA Futures pulled a goal back soon after to end a remarkable opening quarter hour with Jong Genk ahead 3-1. No further goals arrived until the final ten minutes when the Jong Genk lead was cut to one goal but the hosts held on for the victory, their first in almost two months.

Bibout continues to enjoy a strong second season in European football with 8 goals in 11 league matches for his new club, third highest on the Challenger Pro League scoring chart. The 21-year-old drew the attention of Genk during a remarkable half-season in the Swedish second tier with Västerås SK, producing 6 goals in 12 matches before moving for over €2 million.

The 21-year-old, formerly a Cameroon under-17 national team player, spent his first years as a professional in the United States. He scored 23 goals in 50 matches for the reserve team of Los Angeles Galaxy, called Ventura County Fusion, in Major League Soccer’s development league MLS Next Pro. Bibout also spent time on loan in the American second tier USL Championship and made a couple of appearances for the Galaxy’s first team before moving to Sweden in March.

Notably, his strong performances for Jong Genk earned him his debut for the first team in late October, a substitute appearance in a 3-0 cup victory over RWDM Brussels.

 

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