A cracker to kick off 2024 in Belgian football, with a cup tie between KAA Gent and Club Brugge. Teed up by Skov Olsen, Thiago scored the sole goal of the evening, helping Club to its ticket to the Croky Cup Semi Finals.
Semi-final ticket sale
Want to be part of our Semis Cup mission? Fancy a sizzling Jan Breydel next week? Information about the semi-final ticket sale will be provided tomorrow.
Line-up
In its last 2023 mission, Club conceded a 1-1 draw at the hand of runaway league leaders Union SG. The team that took on Union was changed in one position: with Onyedika at the Africa Cup, Nielsen made his way back to the Starting XI. Up front, Skov Olsen and Nusa played in support of lone forward and man in form Thiago.
For AA Gent, the names of youngsters Agbor and Lagae stood out in particular.
The game
Unable to create any real threats, Club was best out of the starting blocks with the most ball possession in the opening stages of the game. Thiago tried his luck from a long way out, but the ball sailed high over the crossbar. Ten minutes into the game, however, an already plagued home side was forced to make another early change as goalkeeper Roef limped off with a hamstring injury, replaced by Japanese newcomer Schmidt. It didn't take long for the substitute goalkeeper to enjoy his playing time, however. Skov Olsen powering through on the right-hand side, the Danish winger spotted Thiago in front of goal, who stabbed it home from close range. Club almost immediately doubled the lead when Nielsen cut past two defenders inside the penalty box, before seeing Kandouss block his shot with a last-ditch tackle. The rebound was for Nusa, but his shot trickled wide.
Just before the half-hour mark, Gent carved out two chances, first forcing Mignolet into making a diving save on a close-range effort by Cuypers, and shortly after seeing De Sart, with plenty of time and space to aim for the top corner, lift his effort over the crossbar. The intensity of the game rose, with a lot of midfield duels, but the game lacked quality. It took until stoppage time before Gent striker Cuypers headed a corner kick over the bar.
With the same 22 names taking on the second half, the hosts tried applying forward pressure from the onset, but bit by bit Club started clawing its way back into the game, without asking the Gent defense too many questions. Just before the hour mark, Nielsen made his way inside the home box, pulling back to Skov Olsen. The latter took it in one go, but it was an unfortunate touch that sent the ball over. A bit later, the hosts reacted with chances for Kums and Gerkens, but on both occasions the Club organisation stood ground.
Coach Deila brought on two fresh players on 70 minutes: Balanta and Zinckernagel for Nielsen and Nusa. Five minutes later Gent had their best chance of the game when the ball inadvertently fell into the path of Orban via Vetlesen. The Nigerian tried to slice it into the far corner, but Mignolet had come of his line and kept it out brilliantly.
The game was drawing to an end when Gent almost revived this cup tie. The game was already in stoppage when Samoise beat Mignolet, but Spileers was their to clear it from the line - twice! Club had the final say in this nerve racking game, celebrating advancing to the Semis in front of a capacity visiting block.
Croky Cup - Round of Eight
Attendance: 20,185 – KAA Gent Arena
Referee: Erik Lambrechts
KAA Gent: Davy Roef (15’ Daniel Schmidt) – Bryan Agbor, Ismaël Kandouss, Bram Lagae – Matisse Samoise, Julien De Sart, Sven Kums, Pieter Gerkens (78’ Tibe De Vlieger), Archie Brown – Gift Orban (78’ Omri Gandelman), Hugo Cuypers.
Bench: Daniel Schmidt, Noah Fadiga, Mohamed Soumah, Omri Gandelman, Tibe De Vlieger, Robbie Van Hauter, Laurent Depoitre.
Coach: Hein Vanhaezebrouck
Club Brugge: Simon Mignolet – Maxim De Cuyper, Jorne Spileers, Brandon Mechele, Bjorn Meijer – Casper Nielsen (69’ Éder Balanta), Hugo Vetlesen (90+4’ Dedryck Boyata), Hans Vanaken - Andreas Skov Olsen, Igor Thiago, Antonio Nusa (69’ Philip Zinckernagel).
Bench: Nordin Jackers, Nick Shinton, Dedryck Boyata, Kyriani Sabbe, Éder Balanta, Michal Skóras, Philip Zinckernagel, Ferran Jutglà.
Coach: Ronny Deila.
Yellow: De Sart, Skov Olsen, Samoise, Balanta, Kums, Orban
Red: none
Goal: 17’ Thiago (0-1)