Club wins Super Cup thanks to 1-0 win against AA Gent

Club Brugge has won the Belgian Supercup for the seventeenth time. Blauw-Zwart defeated cup winner AA Gent 1-0 thanks to a goal by Andreas Skov Olsen.

Carl Hoefkens immediately had three players make their debuts in his first official game as coach of Blauw-Zwart: Owen Otasowie, Bjorn Meijer and Ferran Jutglà all appeared at the kickoff. Otasowie - already transferred from Wolves last season - played at the back alongside Mata and Mechele. The American took the place of the suspended Nsoki as a left central defender. In midfield, Noah Mbamba played at the back of Vormer and Vanaken, while Skov Olsen and Meijer took care of the flanks. In extremis, the Dutchman replaced Buchanan, who had to drop out with a minor injury. Up front, Jutglà played alongside Noa Lang. The Spaniard was preferred to Charles De Ketelaere, who started on the bench.

Club immediately pressed the gas pedal firmly and came close to a goal three times during the opening quarter. Vormer served Jutglà, but the Spaniard could not frame his attempt. Immediately afterwards, an even bigger chance followed: Meijer got to the back line and put the leather back to Vormer, who saw his shot parried by goalkeeper Roef. Moments later Jutglà missed the 1-0 by a hair. The Spaniard extended a cross from Skov Olsen towards goal, but the ball bounced just wide of the far post. All the visitors could do in return was a sharp cross from Cuypers that went past everything and everyone.

The Bruges players were clearly in control, although the Buffaloes lurked on the counter. Ten minutes before halftime, Nurio's shot whizzed over the crossbar and immediately afterwards Tissoudali was even able to score. However, the goal was disallowed for offside. In contrast, it was Club Brugge that took the lead. Andreas Skov Olsen cut inside and saw his shot end up in goal via a Gent foot. The visitors responded with a Cuypers header, which was tapped over goal by Mignolet.

After the break, the visitors immediately went in search of the equalizer. Cuypers was able to reach Tissoudali, but the Moroccan international's effort went wide of the far post. Moments later, Hjulsager tried from outside the sixteen yards. Mignolet was able to punch away the Dane's shot. For coach Hoefkens that was the signal to intervene: Skov Olsen and the injured Otasowie went to the side. Antonio Nusa and Denis Odoi were their replacements.

Club was no longer in control and, with the exception of a header by Mechele, could not immediately threaten. Fresh blood soon arrived to breathe new life into the match. Lynnt Audoor and Cyle Larin both made their debuts. Mbamba and Jutglà went to the side. Yet it was Gent that remained the most dangerous team: a volley by Hjulsager went wide, an attempt by Tissoudali went into the side netting via Odoi and Samoise could not even frame his shot.

The narrow difference kept things unusually exciting in the closing stages. However, the visitors proved unable to outplay Club. Blauw-Zwart came close to scoring a second goal. First Larin was unable to reach a cross from Lang, and shortly afterwards the Canadian saw his shot parried in front of Roef. It remained 1-0 and so Club Brugge won the Supercup for the seventeenth time!

Supercup
Spectators: 16,000 - Jan Breydelstadion
Referee: Erik Lambrechts
Club Brugge: Simon Mignolet - Clinton Mata, Brandon Mechele, Owen Otasowie (59' Denis Odoi) - Andreas Skov Olsen (59' Antonio Nusa), Ruud Vormer, Noah Mbamba (66' Lynnt Audoor), Hans Vanaken, Bjorn Meijer (83' Kamal Sowah) - Ferran Jutglà (66' Cyle Larin), Noa Lang. Bench: Senne Lammens, Nick Shinton and Charles De Ketelaere. Coach: Carl Hoefkens.
KAA Gent: Davy Roef - Andreas Hanche-Olsen, Michael Ngadeu, Joseph Okumu - Matisse Samoise, Alessio Castro-Montes (46' Sulayman Marreh), Sven Kums (94' Malick Fofana), Andrew Hjulsager (84' Darko Lemajic), Nurio Fortuna - Hugo Cuypers, Tarik Tissoudali. Coach: Hein Vanhaezebrouck.
Yellow cards: Ngadeu, Jutglà, Meijer, Hanche-Olsen, Nurio.
Red cards: none
Goals: 38' Skov Olsen (1-0).