Match day 19 of the Jupiler Pro League saw the clash between Club Brugge and Unoin at the Dudenpark. A goal just before the break by Ivanovic was followed up with a second goal by the hosts as Nielsen's unfortunate tap put it in his own goal. Hardly unsettled, Club managed to thwart defeat through goals by Talbi and Nilsson, helping the team to continue its unbeaten run.
The direct duel between the first two in the table ended in a win for Club against KRC Genk last week (2-0), and coach Hayen saw no reason to reshuffle his Starting XI all too much. The injured Onyedika and De Cuyper proved unfit, and did not take on the trip to Brussels, where they were replaced by Nielsen and Sabbe at right back, with Seys moving to the left wing. Up front Skov Olsen was given the nod over Talbi.
The ten point gap between the two teams spuured the hosts on to claim most possession, but without creating any clear danger. The hosts tried putting high pressure, which resulted in some early threats. Still, the opening fifteen did not come with any action for either goalkeeper. It was Club that asked the first questions as Vanaken took a ball in one go with a drop shot from just outside the box, but the shot was too central and was easily clutched by Moris. Halfway through the first half, Sabbe dropped it into the box, where Burgess deviated it into the feet of Nielsen, but a focused Moris pushed the Dane to the left and was able to neutralise the effort, and in the rebound, Tzolis aimed high over.
Club had found its way into the game, finding solutions through combining, and another fine chance came a bit later as Vanaken was launched through a quickly taken free kick. The captain pushed on and tried his luck from just outside the box, but his attempt was not solid enough and a stretched Moris got hold of it. Some time later, Sabbe pushed on through the wing, producing a low cross to find Nilsson. The Swedish forward got in front of his opponent, but Mac Allister still managed to keep the striker from scoring. A harmless Union by then finally also sprang to life: first Niang snatched it away from Sabbe by the goal line, and then tried to find Alert in front of goal with a hard cross, but Mechele had an alert reaction in store to divert it into a corner. The best chance of the first 45 came straight after, as Mac Allister put Boufal through on goal, the latter clearheadedly passing it across to Ivanovic to set him up for a goal he could not miss, but Mignolet followed up intelligently, tapping it away with an ultimate reflex. Just when a goalless draw seemed to be the prize at the end of the first 45 for the two teams, Ivanovic intercepted a poor Seys free kick, only to surge forward and put it past Mignolet with a magnificent strike from outside the box (1-0).
With the unfortunate Seys unable to go on, coach Hayen lined up Romero as the two teams manned the pitch. The goal down now urged the hosts to play a more swift game, which resulted in a header going just wide by Nilsson after a perfect Sabbe cross. A bit later, Club again proved dangerous as a fine combinatino between Nilsson and Tzolis set up Skov Olsen by the far post, but the Danish winger shot it high over. It would have been harmless anyway, as Nilsson had been in off-side position. Somewhat against the run of play, Club conceded a second. A Mechele slip-up (literally), allowed David to go for goal, but his shot was parried by Mignolet. Unfortunately for Club, the ball bounced against Nielsen, deflected it in his own goal (2-0). Moments later, Hayen went all out by brining on Talbi and Jutglà for Nielsen and Sabbe, and this attacking change came to fruition almost immediately. Tzolis with the ball on the edge of the box, intelligently passing it to Talbi by the first post, who tapped it in to make it 2-1.
The goal came with a boost for the visitors, now eager to go for that equalising goal. An industrious Skov Olsen again tried from well out, but again his effort went wide of target. An unrelented Club now did not let go, and saw its efforts rewarded, as Tzolis' free kick was back-heeled by Jutglà towards goal, finding Moris on his way with an excellent reflex, but Nilsson followed up well, fumbling it in to make it all square (2-2). Club now wanted that winner, and kept insinsting. A corner kick came to Nilsson, but he could not get a good touch to the ball, seeing it chip off his shoulder and go just wide.
With five minutes of added time, the game now really could go either way, but it was the hosts cooking up the best chance to claim the win: Machida heading it inside the box to find Burgess who headed it towards goal from very close range, but again Mignolet had an excellent save in store tapping it away from below the cross bar, and seeing Vanaken clear it from the goal line. A point for Club at Union after having conceded twice will come as a win for the team in second place.
Jupiler
Pro League – Match day 19
Audience: 9,400
– Stade
Joseph
Marien
Ref: Mr. Lawrence
Visser
Union
Saint-Gilloise:
Anthony
Moris – Kevin Mac Allister, Christian Burgess, Koki Machida –
Anan Khalaili, Charles Vanhoutte, Noah Sadiki, Sofiane Boufal (81’
Kamiel Van De Perre),
Ousseynou
Niang (89’
Alessio Castro-Montes) -
Promise David, Franjo Ivanovic.
Bench: Vic Chambaere, Joachim
Imbrechts, Fedde
Leysen, Ross Sykes, Kamiel Van De Perre, Alessio Castro-Montes,
Anouar Ait El Hadj, Lazare Amani, Mathias Rasmussen, Elton Kabangu,
Soulaimane Berradi.
Coach:
Sébastien Pocognoli.
Club Brugge: Simon
Mignolet – Kyriani
Sabbe (65’
Ferran Jutglà),
Joel Ordóñez, Brrandon
Mechele, Joaquin Seys (46’
Zaid Romero) –
Casper
Nielsen (65’ Chemsdine
Talbi), Ardon
Jashari, Hans Vanaken –
Andreas Skov Olsen (90’
Hugo Siquet), Gustaf Nilsson,
Christos Tzolis.
Bench: Nordin Jackers, Dani
van den Heuvel, Zaid
Romero, Jorne Spileers, Hugo
Siquet, Hugo Vetlesen, Michał
Skóraś,
Ferran
Jutglà, Chemsdine
Talbi.
Coach:
Nicky Hayen.
Yellow: Jutglà,
Mac Allister, Burgess,
Romero
Red: none
Goals: 45+3’
Ivanovic (1-0), 59’ Nielsen
(owngoal) (2-0), 66’ Talbi
(2-1), 78’ Nilsson (2-2)