Club Brugge – AZ Alkmaar: 1-2

Club Brugge were unable to win the 42nd edition of the Brugse Metten. Blauw-Zwart lost 1-2 to AZ Alkmaar.

Compared to the friendly against Go Ahead Eagles, coach Ronny Deila changed his team in three places. Raphael Onyedika, Jorne Spileers and Polish newcomer Michal Skoras were in the starting line-up.

The match could not have started any better for Blauw-Zwart, which took the lead after just two minutes when Andreas Skov Olsen capitalized on a mistake in the visitors' defence to slide it past former Club goalkeeper Mathew Ryan, who was warmly welcomed by the home fans. The Dane almost had a double a few minutes later bus his rasping drive took a deflection on a defender. Club could not hold on to its lead for long. Still inside the first ten minutes Mats Rits beat his own goalkeeper when he inadvertently headed in Mees De Wit's cross.

In that same minute Club responded via the industrious Skoras, but Ryan kept out his shot. AZ found their feet again after that and Simon Mignolet needed a top-shelf save to deny Jesper Karlsson, which was immediately the last good chance of the first half for both teams.

It was a more even affair in the second start and it took almost ten minutes before a good attacking move let Tajon Buchanon whip in a cross, but nobody got at the end of it. Shortly after that Skov Olsen got the ball following Thiago's efforts to capture the ball and he feeded the ball to Vanaken who forced Ryan into making a diving save. Just past the hour mark Deila made a couple of substitutions and AZ took advantage to score a second goal. The Japanese Yukinair Sugawara drilled it into the far corner. The number of subs didn't make it easier for Club to bounce back right away.

Five minutes before the end Club came close to the equaliser when substitute Dedryck Boyata's header grazed the outside of the post and a Bjorn Meijer free-kick lacked accuracy. AZ had the final say but Djordje Mihailovic saw his strike palmed away by Mignolet.

Next Thursday Deila and his men welcome Danish side Aarhus for the first leg of the second preliminary of the UEFA Europa Conference League. (MV)

Club Brugge: Simon Mignolet - Tajon Buchanan (65’ Denis Odoi), Brandon Mechele (74’ Joel Ordonez), Jorne Spileers (75’ Dedryck Boyata), Maxim De Cuyper (84’ Bjorn Meijer) - Raphael Onyedika (83’ Casper Nielsen), Mats Rits (65’ Hugo Vetlesen), Hans Vanaken - Michal Skoras (74’ Romeo Vermant), Igor Thiago (65’ Roman Yaremchuk), Andreas Skov Olsen (65’ Shion Homma).
Bench: Nick Shinton, Kiany Vroman, Jack Hendry, Kyriani Sabbe, Cisse Sandra, Antonio Nusa, Kamal Sowah.
Coach: Ronny Deila

AZ Alkmaar: Mathew Ryan - Yukinari Sugawara (85’ Denso Kasius), Pantelis Hatzidiakos, Jordy Clasie (82’ Mexx Meerdink), Pavlidis Vangelis, Dani De Wit, Jesper Karlsson (60’ Ruben Van Bommel), Sven Mijnans (82’ Djordje Mihailovic), Ernest Poku (68’ Kenzo Goudmijn), Riechedly Bazoer, Mees De Wit (61’ David Moller Wolfe).
Bench: Hobie Verhulst, Tristan Kuijsten, Yusuf Barasi, Myron Van Brederode, Mayckel Lahdo.
Coach: Pascal Jansen

Goals: 3’ Skov Olsen (1-0), 9’ Rits (1-1, owngoal), 64’ Sugawara (1-2)

Yellow cards: Thiago (42’), Bazoer (42’), Sugawara (55’), Odoi (76’), Yaremchuk (81’), Vetlesen (92’), Vanaken (94’)

Stadium: Jan Breydelstadion