On matchday 6of the Champions' Playoffs , Club Brugge headed to Lotto Park for the classic against RSC Anderlecht. Club took an early lead after an owngoal by Angély and 0-1 was also the score at halftime. In the second half, the Bruggelings deepened the score through goals by Forbs and Tzolis. Cvetković' s own goal turned out to be only an honorary save, and with this well-deserved 1-3 win, Club takes over Union!
Blauw-Zwart won the Battle of Flanders at KAA Gent's field last weekend, staying on Union's trail. Consequently, it made sense to keep trusting the same eleven starters and coach Ivan Leko followed that reasoning as well. For the top match against Anderlecht, Vetlesen was thus once again at the center of midfield and the attacking trio consisted of Forbs, Tzolis and Tresoldi. For the home team, the most striking fact was the return to the selection of De Cat, but he did start on the bench. Finally, the starting place of young Angély in the center of defense also stood out.
At the start of the match it was raining cats and dogs, which immediately caused a few slips. After a few minutes, however, it was Club that created the first goal threat through Tzolis. A deep ball to Forbs was misjudged by Augustinsson, allowing the Portuguese winger to advance towards goal. Instead of kicking himself, he laid the leather next to Tresoldi, who in turn played Tzolis. The latter came inside, but his effort was deviated into corner kick. Soon after, the order was reversed and it was Tzolis who served Tresoldi. Club's striker was also able to kick toward goal, but Coosemans went well flat. Finally, the deserved lead came fairly quickly! Forbs played deep for Tresoldi in the sixteen and he brought the ball sharply in front of goal. There Angély unhappily deviated the leather into his own goal. The threat continued to come from Brugge, but unfortunately Tzolis forgot to double the score early on. After missing Angély, the Greek winger could only beat Coosemans, but he was able to deviate the shot with his fingertips and the ball hit the post. After a good quarter of an hour, Blue-Black suffered a setback when Jackers collided with Diarra. The Club goalie could not continue and had to be replaced by van den Heuvel.
Halfway through the first half, Anderlecht also had to make a forced substitution due to an injury to Diarra and he was replaced by Ilić. After a good half hour, the home side scored their first goal, but van den Heuvel had little trouble with Degreef's central shot. The visitors responded almost immediately with an opportunity for Vetlesen, but his left-footed kick from just outside the penalty area went several meters over Coosemans' cage. A few minutes later Club got a corner kick and Tzolis found the head of Siquet at the far post, and finally Stanković was able to strike a dropped ball from just outside the sixteen. Ilić put his head against the ball and so Coosemans did not have to intervene. In the ensuing corner, Ordóñez was unable to deviate the ball sufficiently with his head. The danger did continue to come from the Bruges visitors, but on a pass from Siquet, Tzolis could not frame his shot either. As a result of Jackers' injury treatment, eight minutes of added time were counted and in it Anderlecht was dangerous for once. Degreef controlled a deflected ball on the edge of the sixteen and then delivered a cracked shot, but that's how the leather came into the run of Llansana. The latter fortunately could not deviate the ball properly and so the danger was gone. The final chord of the first half was finally for Stanković, but his blast from distance went several meters wide of the goal. Thus we went to rest with a small lead for Blue-Black....
The second half started with one change for the home team, as De Cat replaced Llansana. This also encouraged them to come out of the locker room with the most initiative, because after only a few minutes it was De Cat who created the first threat. However, his shot from an acute angle was harmless and went wide and over the goal. Moments later Club responded with a corner that was deflected by Mechele and the ball finally reached Tresoldi at the far post. Unfortunately, however, he could not reach the ball sufficiently and kicked wide from close range. After ten minutes in the second half, Hazard got the ball at his feet just outside the penalty area, but fortunately he was unable to curl the ball sufficiently to prevent van den Heuvel from intervening. Around the hour Blauw-Zwart then struck twice! First a quick counterattack was set up and Seys was able to serve the free Forbs in the sixteen. The Portuguese express train could easily double the score from close range. Anderlecht actually had no time to overcome this blow, because two minutes later they already had to take a third goal. Tzolis was completely lost sight of on the halfway line and that had noticed Vetlesen to stab the ball deep. The Greek winger swerved out of the way at first, but outsmarted Coosemans with a cleverly angled shot that hit the net via the post. The home team did try to show a reaction through an attempt by Cvetković, but van den Heuvel went well flat on the shot.
About halfway through the second half, the visitors were in control of the game and Leko also decided to make a triple substitution, among other things. This brought Vermant, Spileers and Sandra onto the field and a few minutes after this substitution the egg was so after 0-4. Vanaken picked out with a clever heel to bring Tzolis alone in front of goal. The latter, however, failed to further deepen the score, as he kicked the leather wide of the far post. Shortly after this enormous opportunity, Vermant also had a great chance. After Angély missed, the striker from Bruges could only go for Coosemans, but he ended up hitting the goalkeeper's legs. Thus Anderlecht still remained somewhat in the game and after eighty minutes, Kana sent a beautiful ball to the second post where Bertaccini tried it in one time. However, he did not kick the ball perfectly and the ball disappeared into the side netting. Two minutes later, the 1-3 fell through Cvetković who worked an assist from Bertaccini into goal from close range. Shortly before the end of regular playing time, the tying goal egg was on the scoreboard. Cvetković captured the ball and then laid off for Huerta who kicked well towards goal. Fortunately, van den Heuvel had an excellent parry in place to prevent another goal.
In the end, five extra minutes were counted, but therein nothing more changed the final score. Thus, Blauw-Zwart wins deservedly on Anderlecht's field and Club takes the lead in the standings!
Champions' Play-offs - Playday 6
Spectators: 21.000 - Lotto Park
Referee: Nicolas Laforge
RSC Anderlecht: Colin Coosemans - Ilay Camara (69' Ibrahim Kanaté), Mathys Angély, Moussa Diarra (29' Mihajlo Ilić), Ludwig Augustinsson - Enric Llansana (46' Nathan De Cat), Marco Kana, Yari Verschaeren (76' César Huerta) - Thorgan Hazard (69' Adriano Bertaccini), Mihajlo Cvetković, Tristan Degreef.
Bench: Justin Heekeren, Mihajlo Ilić, Lucas Hey, Ali Maamar, César Huerta, Coba da Costa, Nathan De Cat, Ibrahim Kanaté, Mats Rits, Joshua Nga Kana, Adriano Bertaccini.
Coach: Jérémy Taravel.
Club Brugge: Nordin Jackers (20' Dani van den Heuvel) - Hugo Siquet (75' Jorne Spileers), Joel Ordóñez, Brandon Mechele, Joaquin Seys - Aleksandar Stanković (79' Raphael Onyedika), Hugo Vetlesen, Hans Vanaken - Carlos Forbs (75' Cisse Sandra), Nicolò Tresoldi (75' Romeo Vermant), Christos Tzolis.
Bank: Dani van den Heuvel, Jorne Spileers, Bjorn Meijer, Raphael Onyedika, Cisse Sandra, Lynnt Audoor, Mamadou Diakhon, Romeo Vermant, Gustaf Nilsson.
Coach: Ivan Leko.
Yellow cards: Vetlesen, De Cat, Kana, Sandra
Red cards: None
Goals: 8' Angély (owngoal) (0-1), 59' Forbs (0-2), 61' Tzolis (0-3), 83' Cvetković (1-3)