Back from international duties, Blauw-Zwart visited KV Mechelen on matchday 31. Noa Lang stunned the home side with a brace early in the game. He slotted home from the spot after fifteen minutes play and doubled up a few minutes later. In the second half Mechele headed home to put the game to bed.
All news
Blauw-Zwart bags three points following 0-3 win at KV Mechelen
Just before the international break, Club lost by the smallest of margins away against Kortrijk. For the trip to Mechelen, coach De Mil made some changes to his starting line-up. Meijer was absent (ill) and was replaced by Onyedika in midfield. Mechele substituted for the suspended Sylla in the heart of the defence. On the right-hand side Mata came on, forcing Odoi on the bench. Lang and Jutglà teamed up in front.
Both teams needed some time to adjust in the opening stages, but it was Club that created the first chance when Buchanan was played in on the left-hand side and played the ball in front of goal where Rits showed up, but he drove his effort wide. After 11 minutes play Club had a better chance. Lang found Mata on the right-hand side, who cut back to Buchanan, but Bates threw himself in front of the shot.
It was the prelude for what was going to happen a few minutes later. Nielsen latched onto a through ball and tried to whip in a low cross, but it hit the arm of a defender who had put in a sliding tackle. Referee Vergoote pointed to the spot, Lang converted. Four minutes later the Dutchman bagged a brace. After collecting a brilliant pass by Rits, he darted past his defender and doubled Club's lead with a thumping left-footed finish via the inside of the far post.
Club dominated the match and was the better of the hosts in all areas in the first thirty minutes. Just past the half-hour mark Mechelen responded through Storm who put the ball in front of goal, but it evaded Hairemans and Spileers reacted well to clear in time.
Five minutes before the half-time whistle Jutglà cut inside from the left, but smashed his effort a meter over the target of Thoelen. A few minutes later Mata picked out the Spaniard in front of goal, but the header looped over the crossbar.
The same twenty-two players returned for the second half, but this time it was Mechelen that created the first chance when Hairemans headed towards goal on a cross by Storm, but it was too central and too tame to beat Mignolet. Club responded swiftly through Jutglà, but he scuffed his finish wide. Five minutes later he was unlucky again when he failed to beat Thoelen on the rebound after an attempt by Vanaken. At this stage Club was mostly dangerous on the break, but Lang's shot didn't hit the target and Jutglà saw his effort blocked by Van Hecke's last-ditch tackle. In between those efforts Storm's sharp cross didn't reach a team mate.
Halfway the second half Club found the reassuring third goal. After a rehearsed cornerkick Mechele headed in on Mata's cross. The game seemed to be played, but KV Mechelen didn't give up. Storm cut inside from the left and his curling effort went centimeters wide of the far post.
With the game getting near the end, both teams made plenty of changes and thus coach De Mil brought on a couple of youngsters like Vermant, Sabbe and Sandra.
The latter was sent deep in the closing minutes, but just couldn't reach the ball well enough to beat Thoelen a fourth time. A well-deserved victory for Club that never was in real trouble and so Club is still in the race for a spot in the Champions' play-offs.
Jupiler Pro League – Matchday 31
Attendance: 16.672 – AFAS Stadion
Referee: Jasper Vergoote
KV Mechelen: Yannick Thoelen – Dimitri Lavalée, David Bates, Boli Bolingoli (60’ Rob Schoofs) – Geoffry Hairemans, Dries Wouters, Jannes Van Hecke, Alessio Da Cruz (60’ Enock Agyei), Nikola Storm – Kerim Mrabti, Julien Ngoy.
Bench: Gaëtan Coucke, Iebe Swers, Rob Schoofs, Enock Agyei, Jordi Vanlerberghe, Ngal’Ayel Mukau, Bilal Bafdili.
Coach: Steven Defour.
Club Brugge: Simon Mignolet – Clinton Mata, Brandon Mechele, Jorne Spileers – Tajon Buchanan (89’ Kyriani Sabbe), Casper Nielsen (74’ Cisse Sandra), Raphael Onyedika, Hans Vanaken, Mats Rits (79’ Antonio Nusa) – Noa Lang (79’ Romeo Vermant), Ferran Jutglà (79’ Roman Yaremchuk).
Bench: Josef Bursik, Senne Lammens, Kyriani Sabbe, Denis Odoi, Chemsdine Talbi, Cisse Sandra, Antonio Nusa, Roman Yaremchuk, Romeo Vermant.
Coach: Rik De Mil.
Yellow cards: Van Hecke, Onyedika
Red cards: none
Goals: 16’ Lang (0-1), 20’ Lang (0-2), 68’ Mechele (0-3)