Club Brugge suffered a first league defeat following the visit at AA Gent. Hans Vanaken canceled out Hong's opener just before the break, but the South Korean got his brace at the start of the second half. Club created a number of chances, but ultimately left empty-handed.
Dedryck Boyata and Antonio Nusa were the two changes to Ronny Deila's side that had secured the qualification for the Conference League group stage on Thursday against Osasuna. Jorne Spileers and Andreas Skov Olsen were dropped to the bench. Out of possession, Club switched to a 3-5-2, with De Cuyper as a central defender and Buchanan and Nusa as wingbacks. Up front, Zinckernagel played in support of Thiago.
Blauw-Zwart had a first glance at goal, but Nardi was quick off his line to beat Zinckernagel to the ball. At the other end Boyata blocked Cuypers' shot. The hosts started the game lively with a lot of pressure on the ball, asking Club lots of questions. Fifteen minutes in, Buchanan limped off and was replaced by Kyriani Sabbe. Gent dictated the pace of the game and on twenty minutes had two good chances to break the deadlock. Cuypers headed Hong's cross into the side-netting only to see his shot moments later take a deflection before it flew over the crossbar. Club responded through Thiago. He twisted and turned inside the penalty area, but Nardi kept out the Brazilian's low drive.
Midway the first half, Gent opened the scoring when Onyedika failed to clear a cross and only Hong was alive to the possibilities. It was the sign for Blauw-Zwart to up the tempo. Vanaken got on the end of a Zinckernagel cross, but put it just wide and a few minutes later he missed his header when Nardi went underneath a Nusa cross. Third time's a charm, however, and when De Cuyper found Vanaken with his cross, the captain headed home: 1-1. It was to be the score at half-time, even though Gent did try to get ahead again. Mignolet was called into action to deny Tissoudali, while Cuypers headed the ball against the crossbar and De Sart put the rebound over.
After the break it was Vetlesen who tested Nardi a first time, but the hosts took over command quickly. A cross by Brown just evaded Cuypers, but still inside the first five minutes Gent were in front again when Tissoudali neatly played in Hong and the South Korean rolled it into the far corner.
With 23 minutes on the clock, with Club trying but carrying little threat in front of goal, coach Deila brought on Andreas Skov Olsen and Ferran Jutglà for Vetlesen and Thiago. Not long after, Nusa tried to level things up, but his shot was deflected away from danger. Meanwhile Gent tried to increase their lead on the break, but substitute Noah Fadiga found Mignolet on his way. The same thing happened at the other side when Nardi thwarted Zinckernagel and Jugtlà.
Eight minutes before the end Fadiga was sent off with a second booking. Club tried to make the most of this numerical advantage, but Nardi was equal to another effort by Zinckernagel, while Vanaken's header looped over the crossbar. The game ended 2-1, which is Club's first league defeat of the season.
Jupiler Pro League – Match day 6
Attendance: 20,000 – KAA Gent Arena
Referee: Jasper Vergoote
KAA Gent: Paul Nardi – Tsuyoshi Watanabe, Jordan Torunarigha, Nurio Fortuna – Andrew Hjulsager (81’ Omri Gandelman), Sven Kums, Hyun-seok Hong (65’ Noah Fadiga), Julien De Sart, Archie Brown – Hugo Cuypers, Tarik Tissoudali (65’ Gift Orban, 85’ Ismaël Kandouss).
Club Brugge: Simon Mignolet - Brandon Mechele (86’ Jorne Spileers), Dedryck Boyata (86’ Michal Skóras), Maxim De Cuyper - Tajon Buchanan (16’ Kyriani Sabbe), Hugo Vetlesen (67’ Andreas Skov Olsen), Raphael Onyedika, Hans Vanaken, Antonio Nusa – Igor Thiago (67’ Ferran Jutglà), Philip Zinckernagel. Bench: Nordin Jackers en Eder Balanta. Coach: Ronny Deila.
Yellow cards: Fadiga.
Red cards: 82’ Fadiga (2x yellow).
Goals: 25’ Hong (1-0), 43’ Vanaken (1-1), 49’ Hong (2-1).
