Fixture 28 in the Jupiler Pro League brought a woeful Club Brugge to Limburg, where it was set to meet with KRC Genk. A first half opener by Vetlesen was followed up with two more Club goals in the second 45. A heartwarming win for Club, and three very welcome points on the way to the Champion’s Play-offs!
The blow that came with the Cup elimination on Thursday did not go unnoticed in Club's Starting XI. With Mignolet out injured the way was paved for Jackers, while in defense Meijer was referred to the bench, allowing De Cuyper to start from his favoured left back position, making way for Odoi on the right hand side. In midfield, Onyedika and Vetlesen were preferred over Nielsen and Balanta, and also given the nod was Skóraś, teaming up with Skov Olsen and Jutglà. No changes to a Genk side that had beaten Charleroi last week.
In its endeavour to get back to winning ways, the hosts showed the best intentions from kick-off, resulting in a fine opportunity for Skov Olsen two minutes into the game, Jutglà retaining possession and finding Skov Olsen, but his deviation went just wide. Club held the reigns in the opening fifteen minutes, but the first real home threat resulted in a spot kick: Mechele's untimely tackle of Bonsu Baah saw Genk rewarded with a penalty kick. Arokodare seemed up for the task, but brutally put the ball wide of Jackers' goal. A narrow escape for Club, that surged forward again. Cutting inside, Skov Olsen saw Vanaken following up well, and pulled it back, but Club's skipper could not get a good angle to his shot to distress Vandevoordt.
Arokodare kept asking Club's defense questions, but was unable to frame his attempts. Halfway through the first half, Jutglà saw how Vetlesen strode on and neatly launched him towards goal, where he was able to keep Hrosovsky at bay, and tap in the opener past Vandevoordt. A blow to the hosts, who came close to conceding a second uppercut straight from kick-off; Skóraś chasing well to take it away from McKenzie and putting Jutglà through. The Catalan aimed for the first post, but this time Vandevoordt was able to save the day tapping it into corner kick. An Arokodare tried to bring momentum back to Genk, but Jackers had no trouble neutralising that attempt. With five minutes to go, Bonsu Baah also tried his luck, but again to no avail. And it wasn't all done for the Club goalie: two more great saves awaited before heading to the dressing room. First floating away El Khannouss' neatly aimed effort, Club's goalie had an impressive reflex in store to deny Genk from equalising through a close range header.
Second half started with a more fiesty KRC Genk, often trying to find El Khannouss to create some danger. A first shot went wide, and a bit later he set up Arokodare, but Jackers again proved the better of the latter's shot. Club started pulling back, leaving possession to the hosts, but all the while maintaining a solid organisation. Halfway through an not too eventful second half, coach Deila brought on Nielsen and Meijer for Skóraś and Jutglà, placing Vanaken in front as the most advanced pawn on the board.
A choice that almost immediately paid off; first Vanaken saw his shot go over, but minutes later the double lead was a fact: Skov Olsen with the corner kick, and Odoi with the perfect header by the first post to make it 0-2. With five minutes on the clock, another Club goal followed, this time after VAR intervened after a Sor hand ball inside the box. This time Skov Olsen did not hesitate, netting Club's third of the day.
Nothing much happened within the six minutes of added time, and in the end it was Club that took a great boost from this contest. On Thursday, the team heads back to Europe with a vital away game at Molde!
Jupiler Pro League – Match Day 28
Audience: 23,718 – Cegeka Arena
Ref: Mr. Jasper Vergoote
KRC Genk: Maarten Vandevoordt – Zakaria El Ouahdi (79’ Ken Nkuba), Carlos Cuesta, Mark McKenzie, Joris Kayembe – Patrik Hrosovsky, Bryan Heynen, Bilal El Khannouss – Christopher Bonsu Baah (70’ Andi Zeqiri), Tolu Arokodare (57’ Yira Sor), Luca Oyen (79’ Noah Adedeji-Sternberg).
Bank: Hendrik Van Crombrugge, Mujaid Sadick, Eduard Sobol, Anouar Ait El Hadj, Konstantinos Karetsas, Matías Galarza, Ken Nkuba, Noah Adedeji-Sternberg, Andi Zeqiri, Yira Sor.
Coach: Wouter Vrancken.
Club Brugge: Nordin Jackers – Denis Odoi, Joel Ordóñez, Brandon Mechele, Maxim De Cuyper – Raphael Onyedika (79’ Kyriani Sabbe), Hugo Vetlesen (90+1’ Chemsdine Talbi), Hans Vanaken – Andreas Skov Olsen (90+1’ Philip Zinckernagel), Ferran Jutglà (67’ Casper Nielsen), Michał Skóraś (67’ Bjorn Meijer).
Bench: Josef Bursik, Nick Shinton, Dedryck Boyata, Jorne Spileers, Bjorn Meijer, Kyriani Sabbe, Casper Nielsen, Chemsdine Talbi, Philip Zinckernagel, Victor Barberà.
Coach: Ronny Deila.
Yellow: McKenzie, Onyedika, Vetlesen, Zeqiri
Red: none
Goals: 26’ Vetlesen (0-1), 73’ Odoi (0-2), 85’ Skov Olsen (0-3)
