Blue-Black goes down 2-0 on KAA Gent field

On match day 16, Blauw-Zwart travelled to KAA Gent for the so-called 'Battle of Flanders'. The home team took the lead after 10 minutes through Cuypers and just before the half hour, Ngadeu doubled the score. No more goals were scored in the second half and so Club went down 2-0 at the Ghelamco Arena.

Club closed the group stage of the UEFA Champions League last Tuesday with a draw at Leverkusen. Coach Hoefkens was satisfied with his squad and consequently decided not to rotate too much for the confrontation against KAA Gent. There was one substitution: Onyedika had to provide extra security in midfield and so Lang took his place on the bench. At the home side, the most notable name was that of Torunarigha. He returned from injury and immediately started in the starting line-up.

The first minutes of the clash were for the visitors, with Club claiming possession and moving the ball around well, but without a goal. After 10 minutes, the first chance and goal fell to Odjidja, who put the ball deep for Cuypers, and from an angle, the striker poked the ball past Mignolet. After this opening goal, Club had to search a bit, but Gent couldn't create a goal threat either. Odjidja did try from distance, but his effort went high over and wide of Mignolet's cage. The first half continued to be characterized by 'workman's soccer' on both sides, but gradually Club took more control of the game.

Vanaken was given some space and tried from outside the sixteen with his left. His shot was somewhat cracked and the leather went wide of the post. As with the opening goal, a second goal for the home team again fell out of nowhere. Kums sliced a free kick sharply and the incoming Ngadeu headed the ball past Mignolet via the post. Shortly after, Cuypers tried his luck from distance, but his kick went high over goal. Surely it was now time for Blauw-Zwart to respond and they did. Sowah made space for himself just outside the sixteen and kicked at goal with his left. Nardi floated the ball over his goal and moments later the Gent goalie also reacted alertly to a deflected attempt by Jutglà. At the other end, Mignolet had to intervene appropriately when Cuypers appeared alone in front of him. Club ended up resting with a double deficit....

Coach Hoefkens intervened at halftime and immediately made a double change: Odoi and Skov Olsen replaced Boyata and Sobol, respectively. Initially, this did not change much in the game, i.e. many duels and little concrete goal danger from either side. After 10 minutes in the second half, the first real danger came from Club. The ball was well cut into the box and the incoming Jutglà just couldn't reach it. The home team responded through Hjulsager, but his deflected shot went into a corner. Moments later Kums again cut in sharply to a free kick and Cuypers was able to deviate the ball with his head. Fortunately, the ball went just over the crossbar. The game now went back and forth well, as on the other side Yaremchuk headed a Skov Olsen cross into Nardi's hands.

Moments later, Lang deemed his moment had come. With a clever dribble, he sought the back line and then appropriately crossed the ball where Nielsen was waiting. The latter kicked halfway into the turn, but his effort unfortunately went a meter wide. A few minutes later another good action by Lang who launched Nielsen. The Dane played the ball straight to Skov Olsen, but his shot was too weak to worry Nardi. A little after minute 80, Nielsen was handed the ball just outside the sixteen and he immediately went for his chance. Unfortunately, he missed his shot so the ball went far wide of the goal.

After that, the game fell silent and there was hardly any danger from either team. In the added time, Cuypers did get in front of Mignolet, but the Bruges goalie did not want to score a third goal. No more goals were scored and Club went down 2-0 in the Ghelamco Arena. Wednesday the cup game against Patro Eisden awaits ...

Jupiler Pro League - Playday 16
Spectators: 20,175 - Ghelamco Arena
Referee: Lothar D'Hondt
KAA Gent: Paul Nardi - Joseph Okumu (88' Bruno Godeau), Michael Ngadeu, Jordan Torunarigha - Ibrahim Salah (78' Laurent Depoitre), Sven Kums, Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe (88' Julien De Sart), Núrio Fortuna (56' Alessio Castro-Montes)- Hyun-seok Hong (88' Jens Petter Hauge), Hugo Cuypers, Andrew Hjulsager.
Bench: Davy Roef, Elisha Owusu, Jens Petter Hauge, Julien De Sart, Alessio Castro-Montes, Laurent Depoitre, Bruno Godeau.
Coach: Hein Vanhaezebrouck.
Club Brugge: Simon Mignolet - Dedryck Boyata (46' Denis Odoi), Brandon Mechele, Bjorn Meijer - Tajon Buchanan, Raphael Onyedika, Casper Nielsen, Hans Vanaken, Eduard Sobol (46' Andreas Skov Olsen) - Kamal Sowah (60' Noa Lang), Ferran Jutglà (60' Roman Yaremchuk).
Bank: Nick Shinton, Senne Lammens, Denis Odoi, Jorne Spileers, Andreas Skov Olsen, Lynnt Audoor, Noa Lang, Cyle Larin, Roman Yaremchuk.
Coach: Carl Hoefkens.

Yellow cards: Onyedika, Vanaken, Núrio, Odoi, Buchanan, Skov Olsen
Red cards: none
Goals: 9' Cuypers (1-0), 29' Ngadeu (2-0)