Club sweeps Standard 3-1 from the mat

Club Brugge won the topper against Standard 3-1. The visitors took an early lead through Bokadi, but then Club completely wiped out the Rouches: Hans Vanaken soon equalized, while Bas Dost and Noa Lang made it 3-1 just before and just after halftime. Blauw-Zwart thus increased its lead to fourteen points.

Barely three days after the derby against Cercle, Philippe Clement rested two players: Eduard Sobol replaced Stefano Denswil at left back, while up front David Okereke replaced Charles De Ketelaere. The Nigerian played as a right-wing attacker, allowing Noa Lang to move up to the left flank. The Dutchman had a chance as early as the opening minute, but his volley was deflected. Club started in overdrive, but were caught cold right away: João Klauss headed a free kick through to Merveille Bokadi, who was able to outsmart Mignolet from close range.

Blauw-Zwart went behind for the fourth match in a row and had to recover. The Rouches lurked on the counter and got a second chance: after a cross from Siquet, Mignolet had a fine reflex on an attempt by Balikwisha. Club then took definitive control of the game and immediately shifted to top gear. A header by Mechele first went over the goal, but after twenty minutes, the equalizer was a fact: after a long-distance Mignolet kick, Noa Lang exploited a great action and his return was tapped in by Vanaken.

Then followed a great period of Club: a furious pace, lots of movement, technical feats, power play. Standard was completely swept off the mat and had to concede one chance after another: shots by Okereke were blocked, Bodart caught two attempts by Dost and Vanaken, while a header by Okereke and a volley by Dost flew over goal. In between, Mignolet had to parry a blast from Klauss, but other than that, it was all Club that struck the clock.

The deserved 2-1 came before halftime: Bodart was able to parry a shot by Rits, but Bas Dost was able to tap in the rebound from close range. Club remained clearly in control after the break and soon made it 3-1. Clinton Mata got to the back line and his cross was pushed in from close range by Noa Lang.

The Bruges players were able to slow down and control the game. A shot by Lang first went wide and moments later Club was even able to score a fourth. After a brilliant pass from Mata, Okereke shot the ball past Bodart, but the goal was disallowed for offside. Mbaye Leye brought in some more fresh forces, but Blauw-Zwart prevailed.

Fifteen minutes before time, the people of Liège seemed to have a glimmer of hope after all: Carcela kicked the ball from close range onto Dost's arms and referee Laforge pointed to the spot. After viewing the footage, he reversed his decision and so it remained 3-1. In the closing stages, De Ketelaere found his way to Bodart, but there were no more goals. Thanks to this victory, Club is now fourteen points ahead of Antwerp and Genk.

Jupiler Pro League - Matchday 23
Spectators: none - Jan Breydelstadion
Referee: Nicolas Laforge
Club Brugge: Simon Mignolet - Clinton Mata, Odilon Kossounou, Brandon Mechele, Eduard Sobol (71' Stefano Denswil) - Ruud Vormer (83' Éder Balanta), Mats Rits, Hans Vanaken - David Okereke (60' Charles De Ketelaere), Bas Dost (83' Youssouph Badji), Noa Lang. Bench: Ethan Horvath, Nick Shinton, Simon Deli, Federico Ricca, Ignace Van der Brempt and Maxim De Cuyper. Coach: Philippe Clement.
Standard: Arnaud Bodart - Hugo Siquet (86' Damjan Pavlovic), Noë Dussenne, Merveille Bokadi, Nicolas Gavory (78' William Balikwisha) - Gojko Cimirot (46' Jackson Muleka), Samuel Bastien, Nicolas Raskin - Michel-Ange Balikwisha (58' Mehdi Carcela), João Klauss, Maxime Lestienne (58' Konstantinos Laifis) . Coach: Mbaye Leye.
Yellow cards: Bastien, Kossounou, Carcela, Dussenne, Pavlovic.
Red cards: none
Goals: 3' Bokadi (0-1), 19' Vanaken (1-1), 41' Dost (2-1), 49' Lang (3-1).

Text: Steven Floin