A one goal margin is what took brought from the first leg to the Cegeka Arena. That narrow margin was cancelled out just fifteen minutes into the game through El Ouahdi, but was soon back on the table as Club reacted eagerly through Ordóñez. A fiery second half with chances on both sides of the pitch saw no more goals, leaving the ticket to the Cup Final to Club!
A dream evening at the Golden Shoe Award Show yesterday for Club with a third Golden Shoe for our much lauded captain Vanaken. Hitting the bed early was key, however, as Club had one massive assignment on the schedule with the second leg of the Croky Cup visiting league leaders KRC Genk. Nicky Hayen's Starting XI only saw one change, as Jackers was preferred over Mignolet in goal, just like in previous Cup ties. The hosts lined up the same eleven that had beaten Beerschot over the weekend.
The opening minutes started with much Genk possession, trying to find the right combinations. A first corner kick was put in front of goal by Tolu by the far post, where Bangoura came just close of tapping it home. A first threat for Club, and fifteen minutes in, the hosts again chimed the alarms. Jackers first floated Jackers' curved ball from below the crossbar, but in the rebound El Oahdi eagerly hammered it in to even out the score. A swift reaction soon followed as Tzolis saw his shot blocked by Bangoura just in time. A bit later, De Cuyper tried his luck from afar, but Penders proved the better of it in two goes.
Club was finding its way into the game more and more, and the reward soon followed. Tzolis with the corner kick to find Mechele by the first post, heading it on towards the far post where Ordóñez neatly slotted it in to make it 1-1. The goal proved a boost, as Talbi freed up some space, producing a low cross, cleared by Smets into corner kick in front of a storming Jutglà. The textbook situations clearly proved a handful for the hosts, and another corner kick with the same culprits needed to be cleared from the goal line. Club now kept coming, as Tzolis made some room for himself again, firing away, but this time Sadick stood ground, deflecting it into corner kick. With just a few minutes to go, Genk tried again, with Arokodare inching close to tapping in El Ouahdi's cross. In added time, Club went through a tight spot, as Vanaken passed it back, launching Karetsas on goal, but fortunately for the Golden Shoe, Mechele was very alert, denying Genk's young talent the way through with a timely tackle. An eventful and intense first half ended in 1-1, with Club now on its way to the Cup Final.
The same 22 names taking on the second half, and just like in the first half, it was Genk with the monopoly of the ball. A first chance soon followed, but Steuckers' deflected shot proved no trouble for Jackers. That same Steuckers then sent a long ball to find Kayembe in the box, cleverly setting up Arokodare for a clear shot on goal, but Genk's top scorer could not keep his cool and put it wide. In an exciting second half, Club also saw its chances on the break. Some fine play between Tzolis and Jashari put the latter through on goal, swerving to the left, with the Swiss midfielder trying to find a team mate in front of goal but unable to get that perfect pass.
A well organised Club kept Genk at bay, but it also thanked an excellent Jackers as Arokodare got a foot to Bonsu-Baah's great cross but the Club goalie had a great reflex in store to keep it at 1-1. A bit later, Bonsu-Baah's surprise cross towards the first post was again neutralised by Jackers, only to follow it up with a foot reflex denying Steuckers in the rebound. On the other side of the pitch, Tzolis seemed to be putting Club through with the winner, cutting back in front of goal to set up his right, but curling it against the crossbar. With two minutes on the clock, a Genk goal would mean prolongations, and it almost came true. El Ouahdi with the ball inside the box, Oh leaving it to Arokodare but the forward tapped it in one go against the crossbar. What a relief!
Four minutes of added time did not bring further heartbreak for Club, holding on tight to that qualification. Brussels, get ready, as the Club family is heading for the Croky Cup final in May!
Croky
Cup – Semi Finals (2nd leg)
Audience: 21,300
– Cegeka Arena
Ref: Mr. Nicolas
Laforge
KRC Genk: Mike
Penders – Zakaria El Ouahdi, Mujaid Sadick, Matte Smets, Joris
Kayembe (78’ Ken Nkuba) – Bryan Heynen, Ibrahima Sory Bangoura
(84’ Patrik Hrošovský),
Konstantinos Karetsas (78’ Hyeon-gyu Oh) – Christopher Bonsu Baah
(78’ Noah Adedeji-Sternberg), Tolu Arokodare, Jarne Steuckers (89’
Nikolas Sattlberger).
Bench:
Hendrik Van
Crombrugge, Noah
Adedeji-Sternberg, Lucca
Brughmans, Patrik Hrošovský, Josué
Ndenge Kongolo, Ken
Nkuba, Luca Oyen, Hyeon-gyu Oh, Adrían Palacios, Nikolas
Sattlberger.
Coach: Thorsten Fink.
Club Brugge: Nordin
Jackers – Joaquin Seys (86’ Hugo Siquet), Joel Ordóñez, Brandon
Mechele, Maxim De Cuyper – Raphael Onyedika, Ardon Jashari, Hans
Vanaken – Chemsdine Talbi (86’ Kyriani Sabbe), Ferran Jutglà
(90’ Gustaf Nilsson), Christos Tzolis (90’ Hugo Vetlesen).
Bench:
Simon Mignolet, Dani van den Heuvel, Zaid Romero, Kyriani Sabbe, Hugo
Siquet, Hugo Vetlesen, Casper Nielsen, Michał
Skóraś, Gustaf
Nilsson,
Romeo Vermant.
Coach: Nicky Hayen.
Yellow: Nkuba, Onyedika, Sadick
Red: none
Goals: 14’
El Ouahdi (1-0), 25’ Ordóñez (1-1)