Alfred Johansson’s first match as Motherwell manager ended in a 4-3 defeat to Belgian Pro League side Genk in a thrilling pre-season friendly at Fir Park.
The Swedish coach inherited a club that finished fourth last season under Jens Berthel Askou, and the pressure of maintaining those standards was evident throughout an unsettled performance.
Motherwell now face a UEFA Conference League second qualifying round first-leg against Faroe Islands side Havnar Bóltfelag next Thursday, making the result and display all the more concerning.
Elliot Just opened the scoring from the penalty spot before teenagers Mikey Booth and Robbie Hunter also got on the scoresheet for the Lanarkshire side.
However, a double from Aaron Bibout and goals from Daan Heyman and Brad Manguelle proved too much for Johansson’s patchwork side to overcome.
Speculation continues to surround the futures of several key players, with Elliot Watt heavily linked with a move to Turkish club Samsunspor in a deal expected to exceed £1 million.
Top scorer Tawanda Maswanhise, who netted 23 goals last season, was absent from the team sheet, though the Zimbabwean international was spotted watching from the stand rather than being absent from the club entirely.
Swansea and Celtic have also been credited with interest in Elijah Just, raising fears that Motherwell could lose more of their best talent before competitive football begins.
New signing Alex Paulsen, a goalkeeper on a season-long loan from Premier League club Bournemouth, impressed with a sharp early stop and was blameless for all four Genk goals during his first outing in a Well shirt.
Fellow new recruit Martin Moormann showed promising recovery pace against a lively Genk front line, though he was replaced at half-time after being caught out for the visitors’ second goal.
Brazilian winger Willy Vogt struggled for fitness on the right flank and was substituted after just 30 minutes, highlighting how much work remains before competitive action begins.
Lukas Fadinger was a standout performer, picking up where he left off last season as a dynamic, deep-running midfielder who caused Genk considerable problems throughout the match.
The Austrian recently signed a contract extension and is expected to be central to Johansson’s plans as the new manager aims to carry on the free-flowing style associated with his predecessor’s time at the club.
Confused patterns of play and a rigid system at times made Motherwell look unrecognisable from the swashbuckling outfit that earned a top-four finish just months ago under Askou.
Perspective is important, however, as Motherwell fielded a 17 and 19-year-old central defensive partnership for the entire second half alongside a teenager in midfield and a 16-year-old in attack, with many experienced players watching from the stand.
Johansson will know that pre-season friendlies against quality European opposition are designed to expose weaknesses, and this defeat against a slick Genk side should sharpen his squad’s focus ahead of next Thursday’s European assignment.
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