Matchday 2 of the Jupiler Pro League took Blauw-Zwart to Sclessin to take up the gauntlet with locals Standard de Liège. The first half was mainly interspersed with some tough duelling, but without goals. A goal did fall in the second half as Standard's Bulat thumped it in from inside the box. Unable to recover from this blow, it's slim pickings for Club, starting with a meagre 1 in 6.
Lots of intensity in the opening minutes with the game going up and down well, but without any real goal threat. Bit by bit, the visitors were taking the reigns, however, but the first twenty minutes saw no goal on either side. Not due to a lack of duels and grinta, though, but accuracy and creativity failed. Halfway through the first half, the first home attempt ended in the eager hands of Mignolet after Seys lost the ball to Bulat, laying it wide for Price. The latter took a crack at it, but his shot was straight at Club's goalie, posing no problem.
More threats followed, as Bulat's corner kick stranded on the crossbar, an O'Neill free kick also almost went in, and again Bulat saw his shot chip off the post. Vanaken tried to gear up for Club through a free kick, but a corner kick was all that was in it. With minutes on the clock, Nilsson tried to make his way through the Standard defense, but the tall Club striker saw his shot get a touch just before going in. 0-0 at half time was a score both teams could live with.
We were given five minutes of added time, and in it the Bridge Kings continued to look for the equalizer. Skov Olsen tried once from distance, but Epolo had no problems with his shot in the end. Thus, nothing more changed the score and Club went down 1-0 at the Sclessin pitch.
With De Cuyper on for Seys at Club Brugge, the hosts started out fierce, and Nielsen saw his effort overturned by Epolo, and the latter again saved the day upon a Vanaken header. Club was in better spirits, but the goal fell on the wrong side of the pitch anyway: Fossey with the great surge on the right and dito pass to find Bulat in front of goal: 1-0. Bringing on Vetlesen, Skov Olsen, Nusa and Jutglà, coach Hayen put all his chips on attack, but without success, as Vanaken's attempt was cleared from the goal line by Sutalo, and Skov Olsen's last gasp long range effort was eagerly chested by Epolo.
Jupiler Pro League - Match day 2
Audience: 27,670 - Maurice Dufrasne Stadium (Sclessin)
Referee: Mr. Lawrence Visser
Standard Liege: Matthieu Epolo - Marlon Fossey, Bosko Sutalo, David Bates, Ibe Hautekiet, Henry Lawrence (82' Alexandro Calut) - Marko Bulat (77' Sacha Bansé), Aiden O'Neill, Isaac Price, Léandre Kuavita (77' Sotiris Alexandropoulos) - Grejohn Kyei (58' Soufiane Bejdida).
Bench: Matteo Godfroid, Lucas Noubi, Nathan Ngoy, Alexandro Calut, Sacha Bansé, Sotiris Alexandropoulos, Brahim Ghalidi, Viktor Djukanovic, Soufiane Benjdida.
Coach: Ivan Leko.
Club Brugge: Simon Mignolet - Hugo Siquet, Brandon Mechele, Zaid Romero, Joaquin Seys (46' Maxim De Cuyper) - Ardon Jashari (73' Ferran Jutglà), Casper Nielsen (65' Hugo Vetlesen), Hans Vanaken - Christos Tzolis (73' Antonio Nusa), Gustaf Nilsson, Michał Skóraś (65' Andreas Skov Olsen).
Bench: Nordin Jackers, Axl De Corte, Joel Ordóñez, Maxim De Cuyper, Hugo Vetlesen, Antonio Nusa, Andreas Skov Olsen, Chemsdine Talbi, Ferran Jutglà, Romeo Vermant.
Coach: Nicky Hayen.
Yellow: Mechele, Jutglà
Red: none
Goals: 64' Bulat (1-0)