It was a confident Club Brugge making its way to the Cegeka Arena on Match Day 6. An industrious Sabbe worked on his figures, putting Club in front halfway through the first half, and setting up Vetlesen for Club's second. The final word was for Thiago, slamming in the 0-3 with his head. The streak goes on, and so we're now off to Florence with suitcase full of hope!
Club's form has taken on a gigantic size these days after the impressive 4-0 home win at the hands of KRC Genk just last Wednesday, and a next crucial mission awaited in the away game at that same KRC Genk. Given the rapid succession of matches, interim coach Hayen felt it advisable to rotate, with three changes in the Bruges starting line-up. Meijer got his chance at left back at the expense of De Cuyper, while in midfield Vetlesen was prefered over Odoi. Finally, Jutglà also had to settle for a place on the bench in favor of Nusa. The hosts only saw one personnel change, with Fadera disappearing to the bench, Kayembe his replacement.
And it was the hosts claiming the ball in the opening minutes facing a well-organized Club and with trouble asking the Club defense questions. Five minutes into the game, however, there was a first stir, as a great chance fell on both sides. Skóraś put the ball well in front of goal where Thiago headed on to find Nusa for an even better heading chance, but the leather unfortunately went over. Soon after, Genk also stuck its nose to the window through El Oahdi finding his way through the defense, but his pointed effort stumbled across the face of goal. A few minutes later, Tolu tried his luck from afar, but his volley went well wide of Jackers' goal. It was clear that the home team had taken on a different form than on Wednesday, with Club struggling to keep hold the ball.
Halfway through the first half, however, Club slowly started restoring the balance. A neat through ball by Vanaken put Meijer through on the left, and the delivery was good, but unfortunately Thiago came just too short to make the most of it. From the replay, Meijer did appear to be offside, so any goal might have been disallowed. On the half hour mark, Skóraś dribbled cleverly between two defenders, giving it to Vanaken who found Thiago in the sixteen with a crafty ball. However, the Brazilian was unable to get his head sufficiently to the ball, making it an easy catch for Vandevoordt. Genk's reaction was not long in coming, as five minutes later El Khannouss received the ball played wide by Tolu and the Moroccan playmaker crossed low to the edge of the sixteen where Hrosovsky was able to strike, but the latter proved unable to frame his shot. The game needed a goal, and moments later it came. Sabbe with the cross, McKenzie deciding not to head the harmless ball away, setting up his own goalkeeper for failure, and the ball swerving in by the far post. The home side tried to respond quickly with a shot from El Hadj, but his effort was too central to trouble Jackers. The two teams headed for the dressing room, with a slender lead for the visitors.
Club took on the second half with one change in his team: after a tough first 45, Nusa was replaced by Jutglà. Unlike the start of the match, it was Club that started most convincingly. Yet it was Jackers who first had to show his ability on an attempt towards the first post by El Khannouss. Club's goalie went to the ground swiftly, pawing away the equaliser. With a visiting stronghold in the back, Genk had all the trouble in the world getting to chances, and halfway through the second half, Club pushed in the knife even more deeply. Jutglà launching Sabbe on the right, who managed to just keep the ball in play as he surged past McKenzie to pull a 45 towards Vetlesen, who kept his cool as he extinguished all Genk hopes on a return in the game with a tap in towards the far post.
The visitors from Bruges stayed on their positive momentum and a few minutes later on, they celebrated again. Onyedika saw Vetlesen deep, and the latter somehow got the ball to Thiago in the air. After a period of draught, the Brazilian seems to have rekindled his torinstinct, as he did not hesitate to head the third goal past Vandevoordt. The result now truely beyond doubt, the Bruges fans who had travelled along were now cooing with delight. It gave coach Hayen the opportunity to give several players some extra rest as he made several substitutions. The home team went in search of an honorary goal, but Zeqiri was unlucky in his finishing touch when a header from close range hit the post.
An added 6 minutes were played and in it Genk could threaten one more time. The substitute Bangoura tried his luck from long range, but Jackers did not have to intervene. The score remained as it was, and so Club keeps on stringing together victories in these Champions' Play-offs. Next up the team will fly to Florence to take on locals Fiorentina in the Conference League Semi-Finals!
Jupiler Pro League - Champions' Play-offs: Match Day 6
Audience: 23,718 - Cegeka Arena
Referee: Mr. Lawrence Visser
KRC Genk: Maarten Vandevoordt - Mujaid Sadick, Carlos Cuesta, Mark McKenzie - Zakaria El Ouahdi (75' Alieu Fadera), Matías Galarza, Patrik Hrosovsky (75' Ibrahima Sory Bangoura), Joris Kayembe - Bilal El Khannouss (88' Noah Adedeji-Sternberg), Tolu Arokodare (64' Andi Zeqiri), Anouar Ait El Hadj (75' Christopher Bonsu Baah).
Bench: Mike Penders, Eduard Sobol, Ken Nkuba, Thomas Claes, Josue Kongolo, Alieu Fadera, Ibrahima Sory Bangoura, Andi Zeqiri, Christopher Bonsu Baah, Noah Adedeji-Sternberg.
Coach: Wouter Vrancken.
Club Brugge: Nordin Jackers - Kyriani Sabbe (79' Maxim De Cuyper), Joel Ordóñez, Brandon Mechele, Bjorn Meijer - Raphael Onyedika (85' Philip Zinckernagel), Hugo Vetlesen (79' Casper Nielsen), Hans Vanaken - Michał Skóraś (62' Denis Odoi), Igor Thiago, Antonio Nusa (46' Ferran Jutglà).
Bench: Simon Mignolet, Josef Bursik, Jorne Spileers, Maxim De Cuyper, Denis Odoi, Éder Balanta, Casper Nielsen, Philip Zinckernagel, Andreas Skov Olsen, Ferran Jutglà.
Coach: Nicky Hayen.
Yellow: Cuesta, Vetlesen, Nielsen
Red: none
Goals: 38' Sabbe (0-1), 67' Vetlesen (0-2), 71' Thiago (0-3)
