For the first leg of the UEFA Europa Conference League Play-off round, Blauw-Zwart travelled to Osasuna. Either side managed to score in a first half with little clear chances, but Skov Olsen opened the score early on in the second half. Ávila pulled the hosts level, but Club snatched the win when De Cuyper's brilliant strike flew in.
Blauw-Zwart went all out last Sunday in the Jupiler Pro League against RWDM. Coach Deila had little reason to shake things up for the match against Osasuna and only made one change: captain Hans Vanaken, on the bench on Sunday with some stomach problems, returned between the lines. Nusa had to settle for the bench.
In the sweltering conditions it was the home side that had most of the ball in the opening stages of the game, keeping Club on their own half. Club restored the balance after ten minutes play, eventhough Osasuna carved out the first chance of the game when Ávila took a touch around the penalty area before aiming his shot off target. A few minutes later Mignolet had to come off his line to palm away a free-kick.
Midway the first half, after the drink break, it was still Osasuna that dictated the pace of the game. That resulted in a first good effort between the sticks. Rubén Garcia tried it from distance, but Mignolet did well to keep out the forward's low strike. With ten minutes on the clock Garcia noticed Mignolet from his line and tried to beat him with a lob, but the ball ended up in the roof of the goal. Osasuna upped the pressure through Garcia, who scuffed a finish wide from an acute angle. But it was Club that had the best chance when Vetlesen whipped in a brilliant pass over the top of the defence, but Zinckernagel headed over the target.
De tweede helft werd aangevat met dezelfde 22 hoofdrolspelers en deze keer was het niet lang wachten op de eerste mogelijkheid. Rubén Garcia kwam naar binnen met de bal aan de voet en besloot dan om te knallen. Mignolet zag de pegel gelukkig net over de lat zoeven. Enkele minuten later onttrok zich het droomscenario voor Blauw-Zwart! Skov Olsen had wat ruimte en kwam naar binnen, maar leek vervolgens de bal te verliezen. Toch slaagde hij erin om nog het snelst te reageren en zo het leer droog voorbij Fernández te knallen. Osasuna leek hierna wat van slag en daar trachtte Blauw-Zwart van te profiteren. Op het uur dribbelde Zinckernagel zich voorbij zijn dichtste belager om hierna de verste hoek te viseren. Jammer genoeg stond er nog een Spaans been in de baan van het schot.
No changes at the break and two early chances: one for each side. Rubén Garcia blasted over Mignolet's crossbar, but at the other side of the pitch Skov Olsen showed more composure. The Dane darted into the penalty area, left a couple of defenders stranded and slotted home with a neat left-footed finish. Club tried to double the lead and on the hour mark Zinckernagel went past his defender before trying to place the ball in the near corner, but his effort took a deflection on a defender.
On minute 70 referee Millot awarded Club with a penalty kick, but Thiago was just in an offside position and so the decision was overturned. A few minutes after the drink break Moncayola found Ávila in front of goal with a good cross and the Argentinian headed home to level for his side. But Club reacted almost immediately when De Cuyper latched onto Vetlesen's through ball and arrowed the ball unstoppably in the far corner. What a goal!
Osasuna had a great chance to equalize in stoppage time when Ibáñez could head towards goal from closeby, but his header went over. In the absolute dying seconds Mignolet kept out a good strike, before the referee blew his whistle for one last time.
Blauw-Zwart returns from Estadio El Sadar with an important win. Next week Club hosts Osasuna at Han Breydel.
UEFA Europa Conference League – Play-offs (first leg)
Attendance: 23.576 – Estadio El Sadar
Referee: Benoît Millot (FRA)
CA Osasuna: Aitor Fernández – Rubén Peña (83’ Jesús Areso) , Alejandro Catena, David García, Johan Mojica – Lucas Torró (83’ Pablo Ibáñez), Jon Moncayola, Aimar Oroz (66’ José Manuel Arnáiz) – Rubén Garcia (66’ Ante Budimir), Chimy Ávila, Moi Gómez (89’ Kike Barja).
Bench: Sergio Herrera, Nacho Vidal, Juan Cruz, Unai García, Kike Barja, Jesús Areso, Ante Budimir, Pablo Ibáñez, José Manuel Arnáiz, Raúl García, Jorge Herrando, Iker Muñoz.
Coach: Jagoba Arrasate.
Club Brugge: Simon Mignolet – Tajon Buchanan (75’ Kyriani Sabbe), Brandon Mechele, Jorne Spileers, Maxim De Cuyper – Raphael Onyedika, Hans Vanaken, Hugo Vetlesen - Andreas Skov Olsen (75’ Antonio Nusa), Igor Thiago (75’ Dedryck Boyata), Philip Zinckernagel (88’ .
Bench: Nordin Jackers, Kiany Vroman, Joel Ordóñez, Dedryck Boyata, Kyriani Sabbe, Denis Odoi, Antonio Nusa, Michal Skóras, Victor Barbera, Roman Yaremchuk.
Coach: Ronny Deila.
Yellow cards: Mojica, D. García, Buchanan, Onyedika, Thiago, Skov Olsen, Mignolet
Red cards: none
Goals: 51’ Skov Olsen (0-1), 78’ Ávila (1-1), 80’ De Cuyper (1-2)