No love lost between Club Brugge and KRC Genk in yesterday's game in hand. Seconds before half time, El Khannouss opened the score after a fine visitors' performance, but halfway through the second half, an inescapable Hans Vanaken headed in the well-deserved.
Coach Deila opted for the same Starting XI that had drawn at Anderlecht over the weekend, and saw how the visitors proved the more resourceful team from the onset, asking the Club defense questions through Zeqiri, aiming Fadera's cross wide, and seeing De Cuyper clearing a second effort.
Ten minutes played, Club was forced to make a first substitution, seeing Sabbe off injured and replaced by Denis Odoi who was at the basis of Club's first threat, producing a fine cross to find Thiago in front of goal, but the Brazilian was unable to get a solid touch to the ball. Hardly impressed, Genk kept finding its way through the Club organisation, and more chances followed: Mignolet parried a Zeqiri shot, Fadera curled his effort over the crossbar, and a long range shot by Arteaga whizzed past. Club finally started making its way into the game, but crosses by Skov Olsen and Odoi were always cleared just before they reached Thiago.
Maintaining its high pressure, Genk still seemed the more fervent team: a Zeqiri free kick ended up straight at Mignolet, and the latter was again called upon to deny Fadera with a great foot reflex. With still ten minutes to play in an effervescent first half, a fine Club combination ended up with Thiago, but the striker took too much time to aim his shot, and the ensuing shot by De Cuyper was blocked. Moments later, a Zinckernagel shot seemed handled by the Genk defense, but the ref waved play on. The first half seemed to end goalless, but deft dribbling decided differently. Heynen was handed the ball after a great action on the right slicing through the Club defense, kept a cool head and found El Khannouss by the far post, all alone to tap in an easy 0-1. As Vetlesen's shot went over a bit later, Club had plenty of work to do in the second half.
With Casper Nielsen on at the expense of Onyedika, Blue and Black crept toward the Genk goal, trying to find that equaliser. The first chance, however, was for Genk, as Paintsil aimed his effort straight at Mignolet. Ronny Deila reacted twenty minutes into the second half, bringing on Balana and Jutglà for Vetlesen and Zinckernagel, and with success: De Cuyper with another fine left wing cross to find Hans Vanaken in front of goal to make it 1-1 and twenty more minutes to play.
The goal gave Club wings, and chances now came with truck loads: Skov Olsen with a shot wide, De Cuyper's shot chipping off a defender against the crossbar, another Jutglà effort straight at Vandevoordt and a slammer by Vanaken inches from he crossbar.
The dying minutes of the game saw more Club danger, as Jutglà pushed on to retrieve the ball but not selfish enough too go for gold himself, and a Nielsen long range strike eagerly clenched by Vandevoordt. The best opportunity came well into injury time, however: Skóraś cross was deviated by Thiago towards goal, but Hrošovský somehow managed to still clear it from the goal line. A final Skóraś shot was to no avail. 1-1 it remained, and so does the three point gap with leaders AA Gent.
Jupiler Pro League – Match Day 5
Audience: 26,000 – Jan Breydel Stadium
Ref: Jonathan Lardot
Club Brugge: Simon Mignolet – Kyriani Sabbe (10’ Denis Odoi), Brandon Mechele, Jorne Spileers (87’ Michał Skóraś), Maxim De Cuyper - Hugo Vetlesen (64’ Éder Balanta), Raphael Onyedika (46’ Casper Nielsen), Hans Vanaken – Andreas Skov Olsen, Igor Thiago, Philip Zinckernagel (64’ Ferran Jutglà). Bench: Nordin Jackers and Dedryck Boyata. Coach: Ronny Deila.
KRC Genk: Maarten Vandevoordt – Daniel Muñoz, Carlos Cuesta, Mujaid Sadick, Gerardo Arteaga – Bryan Heynen (61’ Aziz Ouatarra), Bilal El Khannouss (81’ Anouar El Hadj), Patrick Hrošovský – Joseph Paintsil, Andi Zeqiri (57’ Tolu Arokodare), Alieu Fadera (81’ Christopher Baah). Coach: Wouter Vrancken.
Yellow: Hrošovský, Odoi, Nielsen, Skov Olsen, Balanta.
Red: none
Goals: 45+1’ El Khannouss (0-1), 67’ Vanaken (1-1).
