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Blauw-Zwart ends the season with a 1-3 win at Union

Blauw-Zwart travelled to the Dudenpark for the closing match of the season. It was goalless at the break, but that changed quickly when Adingra broke deadlock early on in the second half, only to see Club bag all three points in the closing stages of the match through Homma, Lang and Sandra.

An injury-riddled Club had to travel to Union for the last fixture of this 2022-23 season. The full-backs Mata and Meijer were sidelined with an injury and Odoi was suspended, which meant academy graduate Sabbe was handed his starting birth on the right side, while Buchanan played on the left. Lang, Nusa and Skov Olsen were De Mil's attacking three, because of the injuries of Vermant and Yaremchuk. For the home side Teuma and Boniface were doubtful, but both key players were in the starting line-up nonetheless.

Adingra had the first chance of note on five minutes, but his curling effort whizzed wide. Blauw-Zwart responded through Sabbe who reached the backline, but his cross was tipped away by Moris. The resulting corner came to Mechele, but the central defender headed wide. Club then had a spell where they enjoyed more possession, but carried little threat in front of goal. Midway the first half Union carved out the first big chance of the match. Teuma faked an effort on goal, only to play in Adingra who then missed the target completely in front of Mignolet.

From that point on Union were on top for a few minutes with a couple of chances, under the command of Teuma. The Union captain fired at goal from the edge of the box, but Mignolet was equal to the effort. On the half hour Boniface was played in and he attempted a strike from a tight angle, but Mignolet parried the shot. Club managed to put its foot next to Union's again, resulting in a goalless first half.

The second half was just underway when the home side opened the scoring. Boniface released Adingra following a one-two and the Ivorian drilled it into the far corner. Five minutes later Lang tried to slide the ball into the far corner, only to see Moris tip it around the post. Shortly after Moris was almost beaten by his own defender Kandouss on a Nusa cross. At the other end Teuma's effort was thwarted by Hendry. On 65 minutes Skov Olsen tried to level things up with a free-kick from 30 meters out, but Moris saved comfortably.

Union then upped the pressure. Five minutes after Skov Olsen's free-kick Boniface latched onto a through ball, but he slotted it wide of the far post. A couple of minutes later Mignolet was forced into making a good save on Puertas' free-kick and Nieuwkoop picked out Adingra in front of goal, but his header was too tame. Puertas tried his luck again, but this time he skied his finish. With the game reaching his end, both managers made a handful of substitutions, including Homma for Club Brugge. And it was the Japanese who tied things up on 89 minutes on a Jack Hendry cross.

The equaliser stunned the home side and a few minutes later Homma found Lang lurking at the far post and the Dutchman sidefooted it in: 1-2. Deep into stoppage time Club scored again on the break, with Sandra breaking down the right flank and squeezing it into the near corner. Blauw-Zwart ends the season with a 1-3 victory!


Champions’ Play-Offs – Matchday 6
Attendance: 9.400 – Joseph Marien Stadion
Referee: Bram Van Driessche
Union: Anthony Moris – Ismaël Kandouss (90+2’ Ross Sykes), Christian Burgess, Koki Machida – Bart Nieuwkoop, Oussama El Azzouzi, Teddy Teuma (63’ Cameron Puertas), Lazare Amani (90+2’ Yorbe Vertessen), Loic Lapoussin – Victor Boniface, Simon Adingra (83’ Gustaf Nilsson).
Bench: Joachim Imbrechts, Dennis Eckert, Guillaume François, Casper Terho, Yorbe Vertessen, Cameron Puertas, Ross Sykes, Arthur De Bolle, Gustaf Nilsson, Nathan Huygevelde, Arnaud Dony.
Coach: Karel Geraerts.
Club Brugge: Simon Mignolet – Kyriani Sabbe, Brandon Mechele, Jack Hendry, Tajon Buchanan – Casper Nielsen (84’ Cisse Sandra), Hans Vanaken, Mats Rits (88’ Shion Homma) - Antonio Nusa (76’ Chemsdine Talbi), Noa Lang, Andreas Skov Olsen.
Bench: Josef Bursik, Joaquin Seys, Denzel De Roeve, Sem Audoor, Kamal Sowah, Shion Homma, Chemsdine Talbi, Cisse Sandra.
Coach: Rik De Mil.

Yellow cards: Buchanan, Sandra, Lang
Red cards: none
Goals: 46’ Adingra (1-0), 89’ Homma (1-1), 90+3’ Lang (1-2), 90+10’ Sandra (1-3)