Ferran Jutglà's first-half strike was enough for Club Brugge to bag three three points away against Oud-Heverlee Leuven. The hosts carved out a few chances, but it was Club that could and should have scored more in this well-deserved win.
Back from the international break coach Ronny Deila started the match in the same way as the game against Cercle had ended a fortnight ago. Ferran Jutglà and Igor Thiago were given the nod, while Jorne Spileers replaced the injured Joel Ordoñez in defence. Maxim De Cuyper, two goals and eight assists so far, was favoured over Bjorn Meijer. Casper Nielsen was also part of Deila's starting eleven.
The first shot at goal was for the hosts, but Thorsteinsson's aim was off. Club responded through Vetlesen, who took the home side's defence off guard, but the goalkeeper was equal to the effort. Shortly after Jutglà tried to play in Zinckernagel, but the pass was just a bit too strong for the Dane. A few minutes later Zinckernagel was close to his fourth goal of the season when he was feeded the ball by De Cuyper and created space for himself inside the box before he hammered the ball against the post. At the other side Schrijvers latched onto a through-ball and forced Mignolet into making a great save.
Just before the half-time whistle Club finally broke the deadlock. First Thiago put a low Buchanan cross wide on the stretch, but a few minutes later Jutglà rifled an unstoppable strike from outside the box past Leysen.
Jutglà had a great chance to double the lead just into the second half when he linked up with Zinckernagel, but Pletinckx made a vital last-ditch tackle to deny the Catalan. A few minutes later Mechele headed a De Cuyper cross over the crossbar.
On the hour Thorsteinsson tested Mignolet again, but his shot was too central and Club's No.1 made a comfortable save. The Iceland international was back in the thick of things when Buchanan missed his intervention on a through pass and Thorsteinsson rushed towards goal, only to see his effort deflected wide by Mignolet who had come off his line.
Club took over command of the game again and could have put the game to bed twice. First Vanaken guided Thiago past the home defence, but the Brazilian's effort was kept out by Leysen. In the final moments Jutglà appeared in front of Leysen as well and again Leysen kept his side into the game with a brilliant reflex save. In the absolute dying seconds of the match Braut Brunes almost kept one point home for the home side, but his shot trickled just wide.
Jupiler Pro League - Matchday 15
Attendance: 10 000 – Den Dreef
Referee: Nathan Verboomen
Club Brugge: Simon Mignolet - Tajon Buchanan, Jorne Spileers, Brandon Mechele, Maxim De Cuyper - Casper Nielsen, Hugo Vetlesen (’90 Balanta), Hans Vanaken, Philip Zinckernagel (70’ Denis Odoi) - Igor Thiago, Ferran Jutglà.
Bench: Nordin Jackers, Dedryck Boyata, Denis Odoi, Raphael Onyedika, Eder Balanta, Andreas Skov Olsen, Michał Skóraś.
Coach: Ronny Deila.
Oud-Heverlee Leuven: Tobe Leysen - Florian Miguel (75’ N’Dri), Ewoud Pletinckx, Joël Schingtienne, Hamza Mendyl - Kento Misao (’88 Nsingi), Siebe Schrijvers, Richie Sagrado - Youssef Maziz (’57 Banzuzi), Jón Thorsteinsson, Nathaniel Opoku (’57 Braut Brunes).
Coach: Oscar Garcia.
Yellow cards: Schingtienne, Miguel, Misao, Vanaken, Mendyl
Red cards: none
Goal: 45’+2’ Ferran Jutglà