Club suffers 2-1 defeat against Molde in stoppage time

For the outward match of the 1/8th Finals in the UEFA Europa Conference League, Club Brugge travelled to Norway to take on Molde FK. At the end of the first half, the home team took the lead through Stenevik, but shortly before the end of the game De Cuyper levelled the boards from the spot. In the added time, Gulbrandsen recorded the 2-1 final score and so Club suffered a sour defeat after all.

Blue & Black recorded a welcome and pleasing victory on the KRC Genk pitch last Sunday. Nevertheless, coach Deila chose to make some changes in his starting line-up for the confrontation with Molde. Spileers rejoined the team at the expense of Ordóñez and Meijer also took his place at left back. Surprisingly, De Cuyper was moved forward to play with Skóraś in support of Jutglà. Skov Olsen consequently had to make peace with a place on the bench. Finally, there was also a starting place for Nielsen, who formed the central midfield together with Onyedika and Vanaken.

It was the home team that immediately claimed the ball and looked to attack, and Jackers had to react alertly twice in a short time already when Molde pumped some balls into the sixteen. Club responded with a cross from Odoi, which fell on the underside of the crossbar. Here the Molde goalie got away well and that was the case again a few minutes later when a goal by Skóraś was (rightly) disallowed. Vanaken sent the Polish winger nicely deep and Skóraś rounded goalkeeper Petersen to then score. However, he took off a little too quickly and consequently the Bruges party was cancelled out. The Pole did remain industrious at Club and tried to pop a dropped ball towards goal, but this time his shot was blocked. So despite Molde's attacking intentions in the opening minutes, Club had quickly taken over the game. On the quarter-hour mark, Nielsen also went for his chance from distance on a colliding ball, but his effort went very high over the goal. Soon after, the Norwegians also showed themselves once through Møller Dæhli, but he popped a little too wildly over Jackers' cage. Molde drew confidence from this, as Gulbrandsen also ventured his chance. Jackers had little trouble with his cracked shot.

FCB was thus warned and once again shifted up a gear. That resulted almost immediately in two opportunities in a short space of time. A long-distance shot by Nielsen deflected wide of the goal and at the following corner kick Jutglà headed into the side-netting at the first post. There might have been more in this, as the Catalan himself was startled by the space he actually had. Afterwards followed a long phase with a lot of midfield play, but with no goal danger along either side. Five minutes before the end of the first half, the home team came up with the ball in front of goal and Hestad headed well to the corner, but Jackers cleverly dived the ball out of his goal. Unfortunately, this was the prelude to a Norwegian goal moments later. The ball was played wide for Stenevik, who outsmarted Jackers with a low slide into the short corner. Club tried to respond before halftime, but Skóraś twice failed to get past goalkeeper Petersen. So the visitors from Bruges went into halftime (unnecessarily) behind...

The second half started with one new name at Club: Sabbe came into the team at the expense of Spileers and this brought some tactical shuffling. De Cuyper took his place alongside Odoi and Mechele in a three-man defense and the flanks were occupied by Sabbe and Meijer. The first goal threat again came from Club's most dangerous man, namely Skóraś. He made himself well free on the edge of the sixteen to then fish the short corner with his left. However, his shot was still lightly deviated and went wide of Petersen's goal. Blauw-Zwart continued to look for the equalizer, but could not really put Molde's goalie to work.

The home team couldn't do much in return, but around minute 70 they came peeping through goal scorer Stenevik. He came inside to then fish the far corner, but the leather went over Jackers' cage. Club's response was not long in coming through once again Skóraś, but this time he kicked the ball wide of the goal. At this, Deila decided it was time to intervene and brought on Zinckernagel and Skov Olsen for Nielsen and Skóraś. Blauw-Zwart stepped up the pressure some more and five minutes before the end of regular playing time the equalizer was a fact after all! Zinckernagel tried to swish the ball in front of goal, but kicked against Linnes' arms. The ref immediately pointed to the spot and De Cuyper put himself behind the ball. He remained icily calm and sent Petersen the wrong way.

Four minutes of extra time were counted and in it Club still suffered a major setback. Via a long ball, Gulbrandsen had the opportunity to storm towards Jackers at speed, and the Norwegian striker did not hesitate to give the home team the victory in extremis. The visitors from Bruges still tried to respond via a header from Ordóñez, but the ball was cleared by a defender. Club suffered a sour defeat after all, and will have to work hard to reach the quarterfinals next week.

UEFA Europa Conference League – Round of 16 (1st leg)
Attendance: 11,249 – Aker Stadion
Referee: Filip Glova (SVK)
Molde FK: Oliver Petersen – Casper Øyvann, Eirik Haugan (16’ Halldor Stenevik), Anders Hagelskjær – Martin Linnes, Markus André Kaasa, Mats Møller Dæhli (90+4’ Niklas Ødegård), Eirik Hestad (62’ Kristian Eriksen), Kristoffer Haugen – Fredrik Gulbrandsen, Veton Berisha.
Bank: Jacob Karlstrøm, Halldor Stenevik, Kristian Eriksen, Johan Bakke, Niklas Ødegård, Leon Juberg-Hovland, Magnus Solheim, Gustav Nyheim.
Coach: Erling Moe.
Club Brugge: Nordin Jackers – Denis Odoi, Jorne Spileers (46’ Kyriani Sabbe), Brandon Mechele, Bjorn Meijer – Raphael Onyedika, Casper Nielsen (73’ Philip Zinckernagel), Hans Vanaken – Michał Skóraś (73’ Andreas Skov Olsen), Ferran Jutglà, Maxim De Cuyper.
Bank: Josef Bursik, Joel Ordóñez, Andreas Skov Olsen, Dedryck Boyata, Kyriani Sabbe, Shion Homma, Chemsdine Talbi, Philip Zinckernagel, Victor Barberá.
Coach: Ronny Deila.

Yellow cards: Hagelskjær
Red cards: None
Goals: 43' Stenevik (1-0), 85' De Cuyper (1-1), 90+2' Gulbrandsen (2-1)