Club Brugge snatched a 1-2 victory over Standard in the nick of time. Blauw-Zwart went behind early on after a goal by Saïd, but Tzolis equalized immediately. After halftime Club increasingly took the upper hand, especially after a red card for Fossey. The deserved winning goal finally fell in injury time thanks to a peal from Romeo Vermant.
Nicky Hayen made four changes to the team that played a draw against Westerlo on Wednesday. At the back, Meijer and Ordóñez were preferred to Sabbe and Spileers, while in midfield Stanković and Sandra replaced Audoor and the injured Onyedika. Sclessin swirled, but it was Club that got off to the best start. Vanaken took a cleared ball on the slipper in one go and popped the leather hard via the underside of the crossbar into goal. However, the goal was disallowed because of prior offside.
Standard was immediately woken up and reacted immediately. First Henry just couldn't reach a cross from the left, but then he scored. Rafiki Saïd took off in his own half, cut inside and smashed the 1-0 past Jackers. A bummer for Club that did manage to equalize immediately: Forbs painted the leather onto the head of Christos Tzolis, who headed in the 1-1.
Even after that scorching start, things continued to go well back and forth. Although it was Standard that had the best chances: a header by Dierckx went just wide and Jackers had to shake a great save out of his sleeves on a clever volley by Mohr. At the other end, Vanaken sent Tresoldi deep, but goalkeeper Epolo was just a bit ahead of the ball. At the stroke of halftime, a shot by Henry, who had broken through, went inches wide.
At the start of the second half the first danger came from Blauw-Zwart: a header by Tresoldi went wide, while nobody could reach a low cross from Tzolis. On the other side, Jackers had to punch away a blast from Ayensa and a shot from Saïd went over goal. Club tried to pull the sheet more, which also resulted in some chances: a deviated shot by Vanaken went over goal, Epolo grabbed a shot by Sandra, an effort by Tresoldi went wide and Epolo had a great reflex on a shot by Stanković.
The Bridge players were clearly in control and were allowed to complete the final half hour against ten men. Indeed, Marlon Fossey was sent off by ref Vergoote after he toppled Tzolis with his foot raised high. Club besieged the Liege goal, but with the exception of a shot by Forbs, little concrete goal threat followed. A few minutes before time, Vanaken spooned the leather over the defense, but Reis kicked it over goal. At the start of extra time it worked: Mechele put the ball back to Romeo Vermant, who knocked the 1-2 into the goal!
Jupiler Pro League - Day 9
Spectators: 25,000 - Sclessin
Referee: Jasper Vergoote
Standard: Matthieu Epolo - Marlon Fossey, Daan Dierckx (73' Ibe Hautekiet), Ibrahim Karamoko, Tobias Mohr - Adnane Abid, Casper Nielsen (88' Sahabo), Marco Ilaimharitra, Rafiki Saïd (88' Léandre Kuavita) - Dennis Eckert Ayensa (67' Henry Lawrence), Thomas Henry (73' Timothé Nkada). Coach: Vincent Euvrard.
Club Brugge: Nordin Jackers - Joaquin Seys (75' Kyriani Sabbe), Joel Ordóñez, Brandon Mechele, Bjorn Meijer (83' Hugo Siquet) - Cisse Sandra (68' Ludovit Reis), Aleksandar Stanković, Hans Vanaken - Carlos Forbs (83' Shandre Campbell), Nicolò Tresoldi (68' Romeo Vermant), Christos Tzolis. Bench: Dani van den Heuvel, Argus Vanden Driessche, Jorne Spileers, Hugo Vetlesen, Lynnt Audoor and Gustaf Nilssson. Coach: Nicky Hayen.
Yellow cards: Nielsen, Mohr, Seys, Karamoko, Tzolis.
Red cards: 63' Fossey.
Goals: 9' Saïd (1-0), 10' Tzolis (1-1), 90+1' Vermant (1-2).