Blauw-Zwart travelled to Turkey on matchday 5 of the UEFA Europa Conference League for the clash with Besiktas JK. Club quickly grabbed the lead through Nielsen and doubled it after fifteen minutes via Thiago. After the break Thiago added a second to his tally before Onyedika and Skov Olsen got their name on the score sheet as well.
Despite Club Brugge's moral-boosting win at OH Leuven last Sunday, coach Deila made three changes to his line-up for the match against Besiktas. Odoi, Skov Olsen and Oyedika were named in the starting line-up, forcing Buchanan and Jutglà on the bench. Hans Vanaken had stayed at home due to his one-match suspension.
It was a dream start for Club Brugge with a goal inside the first minutes of the game when Nielsen hit the sweetest of strikes from twenty meters out to beat Destanoğlu when the ball swirled to the right. Five minutes later Skov Olsen's low cross was met by Odoi at the near post, but the right full-back scuffed his finish wide. Fifteen minutes into the game Club was in the drivers' seat when Thiago doubled Club's lead. Skov Olsen played in Vetlesen on the right-hand side and the Norwegian delivered a perfect low cross between the home side's defence and the goalkeeper where Thiago stabbed home on the stretch. It took Besiktas twenty minutes to get a first glimpse at goal, but Rebic blasted the ball high over the crossbar.
Blauw-Zwart upped the tempo again, with Vetlesen sending Zinckernagel through on goal but his effort was too central and thus an easy catch for Destanoğlu. Ten minutes later Zinckernagel linked up with countryman Skov Olsen and the latter tried to reach Thiago at the far post, but the ball just evaded the Brazilian. A few moments later Thiago tried his luck again from an acute angle, but the goalie kept it out with a good foot save.
The hosts had the last say in the first half when Tosun tried to half the deficit with a header, but his teammate Aboubakar stood in the way.
Deila made two changes at half-time by bringing on Skóras and Balanta. The latter showed himself right away when he collected possession in the first minute of the second half and played the ball into the path of Thiago who did well to keep off his opponent and hammered in his second of the evening.
Club was cruising towards a comfortable win, but still looking to add more goals. On 51 minutes Skóras found Onyedika on the edge of the area with a back-pass and the defensive midfielder prodded home his first for Club. With twenty minutes on the clock, Club scored a fifth and last goal of the evening. On a quick counterattacking move it was again Skóras who looked up well. This time he provided an assist for Skov Olsen who was unmarked in front of goal.
Blauw-Zwart kept creating chances and substitute Jutglà had the best one when he beat the offside trap. He rushed towards Destanoğlu and tried to round him, but the goalkeeper did well to deny the Catalan.
Club bagged a great away win, but are still not sure to finish top of the group because Bodø/Glimt won their match 5-2. The last fixture, when we host the Norwegians, will decide who'll top the group and who finishes second.
UEFA Europa Conference League – Matchday 5
Attendance: 42.590 – Vodafone Park
Referee: David Šmajc (SLO)
Beşiktaş JK: Ersin Destanoğlu – Tayfur Bingöl (84’ Aytuğ Kömeç), Onur Bulut, Omar Colley, Baktiyor Zainutdinov – Salih Uçan (56’ Gedson Fernandes), Ege Tiknaz (56’ Amir Hadziahmetovic), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – Cenk Tosun (64’ Semih Kılıçsoy), Ante Rebić (46’ Jackson Muleka), Vincent Aboubakar.
Bench: Göktuğ Baytekin, Utku Yuvakuran, Amir Hadziahmetovic, Emirhan Delibaş, Jackson Muleka, Mustafa Erhan Hekimoğlu, Aytuğ Kömeç, Serkan Terzi, Gedson Fernandes, Semih Kılıçsoy.
Coach: Rıza Çalımbay.
Club Brugge: Simon Mignolet – Denis Odoi, Brandon Mechele, Jorne Spileers, Maxim De Cuyper – Raphael Onyedika, Casper Nielsen (46’ Éder Balanta), Hugo Vetlesen (59’ Antonio Nusa) - Andreas Skov Olsen, Igor Thiago (59’ Ferran Jutglà), Philip Zinckernagel (46’ Michal Skóras).
Bench: Nordin Jackers, Tajon Buchanan, Ferran Jutglà, Joel Ordóñez, Antonio Nusa, Michal Skóras, Bjorn Meijer, Éder Balanta, Shion Homma.
Coach: Ronny Deila.
Yellow cards: Nielsen, Salih Uçan
Red cards: none
Goals: 4’ Nielsen (0-1), 14’ Thiago (0-2), 46’ Thiago (0-3), 51’ Onyedika (0-4), 70’ Skov Olsen (0-5)