The new year kicked off with the quarterfinals of the Croky Cup, and in it Club Brugge headed to the Stade du Pays to take on Charleroi. After twenty minutes, the home team took the lead from the spot through Guiagon. In the added time of the first half, the same Guiagon doubled the score with a blast from distance. In the second half, the visitors tried to do everything they could, but the score at halftime became the final score. Thus, Club unfortunately has to leave the Croky Cup.
Blauw-Zwart ended 2025 with a spectacular victory on the KRC Genk pitch and went into the winter break with a good feeling. Coach Ivan Leko was clearly also satisfied with the starting eleven against Genk, as he put the same eleven names on the board for the cup game against Charleroi. That meant that, in the absence of Onyedika, Vetlesen could start in midfield again and that the attacking trio consisted of Forbs, Vermant and Tzolis. Finally, van den Heuvel was back in goal, as Mignolet and Jackers were still not fit enough.
In the opening phase, we mainly saw two teams with a lot of intensity and sharp duels, but without any concrete goal threat. Club did try to take command, but the home team was initially well organized. After ten minutes, Bruges did create the first real goal threat when Vanaken played to Forbs in the box. The Portuguese winger in turn played through for Sabbe, who made the overlap. His sharp and low cross eventually reached Vetlesen at the far post, but the angle was too sharp and he again put the leather centrally in front of goal. There the ball could finally be worked away by Charleroi's defense. On the quarter hour mark, the Carolos also came under a first real threat, as Scheidler was able to deviate a corner kick from close range with the head. Fortunately, van den Heuvel saw the ball land just wide of the post. Unfortunately, this proved to be a stay of execution, as Charleroi was awarded a penalty kick moments later. Mechele tapped Scheidler in the sixteen and ref Lambrechts immediately pointed to the spot. Guiagon remained calm and sent van den Heuvel the wrong way to give the home team the lead.
Blauw-Zwart had to recover from this blow, but gradually tried to regain possession of the ball. Just after half time this resulted in an attempt by Tzolis on a cross from Vermant, but the Greek winger's shot lacked direction. Soon after, Stanković once went for his chance from distance, but his blast landed against the head of an oncoming striker. Moments later, the visitors did get away well and escaped a double deficit. Seys slipped in the center circle, allowing Bernier to play the ball into the path of Pflücke. The latter could only head towards van den Heuvel, but Club's goalie luckily pulled off an ultimate reflex to keep the leather out of his nets. Blauw-Zwart's response was not long in coming via a cross from Seys. With this, he found the head of Vermant and he had a good nosebleed, but Delavallée also reacted alertly to prevent the equalizer. Just when everyone thought we were going to rest with a 1-0 score, Guiagon dealt Club another blow in the added time of the first half. From long range, the winger struck a scorching shot that hit the net. Thus Blauw-Zwart went to rest with a double deficit....
The second half started with the same 22 tenors and now it was Charleroi that came out of the locker room best. After a few minutes, Delavallée sent a deep ball for Van Den Kerkhof that Tzolis misjudged. Fortunately, Mechele was able to intervene in extremis, preventing Van Den Kerkhof's cross from reaching a teammate. After ten minutes Club did threaten once with Sabbe having space and time to deliver a cross. In the pack he found the head of Vermant, but he headed the leather just wide of the goal. That was the signal for the Bridge goalkeepers to push on. Forbs rushed past Nzita and then tried craftily. His attempt was deflected by Keita and Delavallée had to pull out an ultimate reflex to prevent the tying goal. At the other end, Club also got away well when Bernier took a shot on the turn. Fortunately, the shot was deviated by Vanaken and the ball went over the goal.
Halfway through the second half, Blauw-Zwart again escaped a third goal. On a corner kick Keita climbed highest and was able to head towards goal from close range. Fortunately, van den Heuvel was on hand to thwart another goal. Coach Ivan Leko, meanwhile, had already brought on Diakhon and intervened by bringing on Tresoldi and Reis as well. With all the attacking violence, space obviously opened up and Charleroi took advantage of it. Camara popped up in the box, but his deflected shot flew into the side netting. Moments later, Guiagon dribbled into the sixteen and then laid off for Romsaas. The latter kicked the ball just over the goal. At the end of regular playing time, Blauw-Zwart seemed to have the tying goal after all, after Stanković extended a free kick with his head against the nets. Bruges' hopes were dashed, however, as the goal was disallowed for offside by the Serbian.
In the end, five extra minutes were counted and in it Club had to continue with 10. Gaudin pulled down Campbell and the latter retaliated with a red card. Nothing more changed the score and so, unfortunately, the Bruges fans' cup adventure came to an end.
Croky Cup - Quarterfinal
Spectators: 15,000 - Stade du Pays de Charleroi
Referee: Erik Lambrechts
R Charleroi SC: Martin Delavallée - Kevin Van Den Kerkhof, Aiham Ousou, Check Keita, Mardochée Nzita (75' Jules Gaudin) - Étienne Camara, Yassine Titraoui, Patrick Pflücke (70' Mehdi Boukamir) - Antoine Bernier (70' Jakob Napoleon Romsaas), Aurélien Scheidler, Parfait Guiagon (90+3' Antoine Colassin).
Bench: Mohamed Koné, Jules Gaudin, Amine Boukamir, Antoine Colassin, Raymond Asante, Filip Szymczak, Mehdi Boukamir, Yassine Khalifi, Jakob Napoleon Romsaas.
Coach: Hans Cornelis.
Club Brugge: Dani van den Heuvel - Kyriani Sabbe (61' Mamadou Diakhon), Joel Ordóñez, Brandon Mechele, Joaquin Seys (86' Bjorn Meijer) - Aleksandar Stanković, Hugo Vetlesen (71' Ludovit Reis), Hans Vanaken - Carlos Forbs (86' Shandre Campbell), Romeo Vermant (71' Nicolò Tresoldi), Christos Tzolis.
Bank: Axl De Corte, Argus Vanden Driessche, Jorne Spileers, Bjorn Meijer, Hugo Siquet, Ludovit Reis, Cisse Sandra, Mamadou Diakhon, Nicolò Tresoldi, Shandre Campbell.
Coach: Ivan Leko.
Yellow cards: Gaudin, Tzolis
Red cards: Campbell
Goals: 20' Guiagon (1-0), 45+2' Guiagon (2-0)