Club and Antwerp share the spoils following 2-2 draw

The game between Club and Antwerp ended in a 2-2 draw. Blauw-Zwart were 2-0 up after goals by Mechele and Jutglà, but fifteen minutes before the end Frey and Janssen scored for the visitors.

Carl Hoefkens sent a different team into the fray comparedy to Wednesday's cup game against Patro Eisden. Akabar Sylla - back from suspension - claimed back his position in the heart of defence. Captain Hans Vanaken, Andreas Skov Olsen and Ferran Jutglà were back among the starters as well. Buchanan, Sowah, Nusa and Larin had to settle for the substitutes' bench.

The visitors recorded the first shot on goal, but Mignolet was equal to the effort of De Laet. On the other side of the pitch Meijer's cross just evaded Vanaken.

It was a lively start of the match with chances at both ends. Odoi headed Lang's free-kick over the crossbar and Butez saved Jutgà's header. Stengs tried to open the scoring for Antwerp on a corner kick, but Mignolet went down quickly. A few minutes later he was forced into making a save on a shot by Bataille.

In between those two efforts Vanaken had feeded the ball to Jutglà, but the Spaniard didn't connect properly with the ball and it went wide.

In the final quarter of an hour before the break, Club upped the pressure on Antwerp. Lang's through ball was cleared by Pacho, Butez saved Jutglà's low drive and Skov Olsen saw his effort blocked. Ten minutes before the break Club's offensive aspirations were rewarded with a goal. Skov Olsen's corner kick was met by Brandon Mechele who headed in powerfully: 1-0 at the break.

The visiting side tried to get back into the game after the half-time interval. Yusuf reached the backline, but his cross was cleared by Club's defence. Shortly after Mignolet kept out Stengs' deflected shot with a good reflex save. For the blue and black Meijer rushed past a few Antwerp players on his left-hand side before whipping in an excellent cross, but he reached no teamplayers. But just past the hour mark Club managed a second goal. Ferran Jutglà rifled in a left-footed finish from just outside the penalty area.

Club were 2-0 up but Antwerp were not going to give up. Van Bommel sent on Michael Frey and Christopher Scott, who turned it around. First Frey tapped in from closeby on a Janssen cross and a few minutes later Scott went down easily inside the penalty area. The referee pointed to the spot and Vincent Janssen fired in the equaliser.

Blauw-Zwart tried to keep all three points home in the closing minutes, but Butez couldn't be beaten a third time this afternoon.

Jupiler Pro League – Matchday 17
Attendance: 29.000 – Jan Breydelstadion
Referee: Jonathan Lardot
Club Brugge: Simon Mignolet – Denis Odoi, Brandon Mechele, Abakar Sylla – Andreas Skov Olsen (82’ Tajon Buchanan), Casper Nielsen (90’ Kamal Sowah), Raphael Onyedika, Hans Vanaken, Bjorn Meijer – Ferran Jutglà, Noa Lang (90’ Antonio Nusa). Bench: Senne Lammens, Cyle Larin, Dedryck Boyata, Lynnt Audoor en Cisse Sandra. Coach: Carl Hoefkens.
Royal Antwerp FC: Jean Butez – Ritchie De Laet (72’ Michael Frey), Toby Alderweireld, William Pacho, Jelle Bataille – Calvin Stengs (72’ Christopher Scott), Arthur Vermeeren (90’ Dinis Almeida), Pieter Gerkens (57’ Jurgen Ekkelenkamp), Alhassan Yusuf, Michel Ange Balikwisha – Vincent Janssen. Coach: Mark van Bommel.
Yellow cards: De Laet, Mechele, Lang, Sylla, Yusuf, Onyedika.
Red cards: none
Goals: 34’ Mechele (1-0), 62’ Jutglà (2-0), 75’ Frey (2-1), 78’ Janssen (penalty, 2-2).