Part Two of the double bill with Union, as Club headed to the Duden Park to meet up again after last Thursday's narrow but bitter defeat. A sturdy Union was unable to keep Club completely at bay, but excellent chances in both halves could not be galvanised, keeping the score at 0-0.
The slender home defeat did not inspire coach Hayen to many changes for the return at the Duden Park. Suffering from chest pain after a collision on Thursday, Mignolet was replaced by Jackers in goal, and up front, Talbi was given the nod at the expense of Romeo Vermant. No Castro-Montes for Union either; the man scoring the only goal last Thursday felt pain. He was replaced by Niang.
The game came with a lot of pressure for both sides, and after an initial study round, Club pressed its nose against the window seven minutes in, as De Cuyper found some space to drop it in the box where Jutglà had a free header, but it lacked power and direction allowing Moris an easy grab. Possession was clearly for Club, and the visitors kept close to opening the score after fifteen minutes; Tzolis with the surge on the right to pull in a great cross to the far post to find Talbi. The young winger neatly put it past Moris, but Machida followed up well to save it from the goal line with a clever back heel. Another chance followed a bit later, as Sabbe pushed through finding Jutglà in front of goal, but the Catalan's header missed target.
Making his way to goal from the left, De Cuyper saw the time and space to try it from afar, but his low shot missed Moris' target by half a meter. Deprived of chances until then, the hosts finally also showed some attacking intentinos, as David cut in from the left to the centre, freeing up some space and aiming for the first post from just outside the box, but the ball ended up on the wrong side of the post, a narrow escape for Club. The game now more in balance, Club had more trouble creating more chances, but a quick counter fourty minutes in helped Talbi to another chance, but this time his shot was blocked by a sliding Khalaili and Mac Allister.
The second half was kicked off with one new name joining the hosts, as David was forced to go off injured, replaced by Fuseini. Mirroring the first half, Club had the ball, but was unable to create much danger initially. That changed ten minutes into the second half, as Tzolis pushed on, keeping three Union players occupied before delivering it to Talbi. A first effort was denied by Moris, but the ball came to Talbi again, this time chipping it past the goal mound. An excellent chance that deserved a better fate. Two minutes later, Onyedika took a high ball in one go, but to no avail.
Just like in the first half, the hosts had one chance to try and break the deadlock as Ivanović sailed past Mechele, found Niang by the far post, but his shot was blocked just in time by Onyedika. With Vermant and Skóraś on for Jutglà and Talbi, Club kept trying to score that vital goal, with Jashari trying his luck from outside the box, but his shot took a deflection and went into corner kick. Another corner kick a bit later found Mechele, but unfortunately Club's defender was unable to get a solid enough tap on it to head it in goal.
Six minutes of added time did not bring about any more changes. Despite having had the best chances, Club was unable to translate it on the score line. A draw for Club, keeping the gap with Union at just the one point. Next up on Thursday is our home game against KAA Gent.
Jupiler Pro League – Champions’ Play-offs: Match Day 6
Audience: 9,400 – Stade Joseph Marien
Ref: Mr. Lothar D’Hondt
R. Union Saint-Gilloise: Anthony Moris – Kevin Mac Allister (79’ Ross Sykes), Christian Burgess, Koki Machida - Anan Khalaili, Charles Vanhoutte, Noah Sadiki, Kamiel Van De Perre (66’ Anouar Ait El Hadj), Ousseynou Niang – Franjo Ivanović, Promise David (46’ Mohammed Fuseini).
Bench: Joachim Imbrechts, Giorgi Kavlashvili, Fedde Leysen, Ross Sykes, Henok Teklab, Mathias Rasmussen, Marc Giger, Anouar Ait El Hadj, Kevin Rodríguez, Mohammed Fuseini, Alessio Castro-Montes, Mamadou Thierno Barry.
Coach: Sébastien Pocognoli.
Club Brugge: Nordin Jackers – Kyriani Sabbe, Joel Ordóñez, Brandon Mechele, Maxim De Cuyper – Raphael Onyedika, Ardon Jashari, Hans Vanaken (86’ Bjorn Meijer) – Christos Tzolis, Ferran Jutglà (75’ Romeo Vermant), Chemsdine Talbi (75’ Michał Skóraś).
Bench: Axl De Corte, Argus Vanden Driessche, Bjorn Meijer, Casper Nielsen, Zaid Romero, Hugo Vetlesen, Michał Skóraś, Hugo Siquet, Romeo Vermant, Jorne Spileers, Shandre Campbell.
Coach: Nicky Hayen.
Yellow: Onyedika, De Cuyper, Vanhoutte, Ordóñez, Ivanović, Fuseini
Red: none
Goals: none