A new era of the UEFA Champions League served up a clash at Jan Breydel, where Club Brugge was to take on last year's finalists Borussia Dortmund on Match Day 1. An eventful first half deserved some scoring, but the goals came only late in the game as Gittens scored twice in ten minutes, only to see Guirassy seal a 0-3 win for the Germans from the spot.
A fine dress rehearsal for Club on Saturday, as it earned a 0-3 win on the road at KV Kortrijk. Not much reason for coach Hayen to tweak his Starting XI all too much, and only two changes were made: Romero making way for Ordóñez and another start for Onyedika, referring Jashari to the bench.
The long awaited start of the Champions League took place in a vibrant Jan Breydel, and the two teams showed up with lots of intensity. A first potential threat was for the hosts as Nilsson was sent deep, but not for the last time in this game, Süle sprung to the rescue cutting Club's forward off. Dortmund's offensive intentions were underlined a bit later, as Malen was found by the far post, but he caprioled the leather towards the wrong side of the post. A low thrilling shot by Adeyemi a bit later was pawed away by Mignolet a bit later. Not that it was all Dortmund asking questions, however: still only ten minutes into the game, De Cuyper's corner kick resulted in no less than five attempts at goal, the most promising by Vetlesen, firing it against the bottom of the crossbar from close range. The game was tense at both sides, and now it was Malen who was found inside the box, turning around but finding Mignolet on his way with an excellent reflex. Another fine home attack teed up Nilsson in the center, swerving towards the right to get past his defender, but he couldn't make the most of the space freed up, seeing his shot go way wide. Another asset for Club, textbook situations, almost always made alarm bells chime. De Cuyper with another great corner kick to find Mechele, but his header lacked the power to really unsettle Kobel. A bit later, Brandt's shot from well outside the box looked promising, but this time Mignolet was not called upon.
The action-packed first half was still only halfway when Skov Olsen was handed the ball deep onto the right wing, and the Dane saw the chance to cut inside with his signature move, but the curl towards the far corner was too central and easily chested by Kobel. The two Dortmund wingers, Malen and Adeyemi, stayed true to their fast-footed selves, combining their way through the Club defense, but Adeyemi again found Mignolet on his way by the first post. The storm now subsided somewhat, and the German visitors stuck to some harmless attempts from afar. The best chance was for the hosts, as Skov Olsen surged forward, easily going past Groß, but an attentive Kobel had closed the corner well enough to keep it at 0-0 with a foot reflex.
No changes to the two line-ups, and the hopeful audience noted a first chance for Club, as Seys steamed forward, produced a fine cross towards the far post to find Tzolis, but the Greek was unable to frame his header. The visitors reacted well as Mignolet misinterpreted a cross without harm, and Sabitzer tried lobbing from far off a bit later, both times without success. That same Sabitzer tried his luck again upon a free kick from just outside the box, but this time the effort flew past the far post. The game turned out to be an absolute joy for the neutral observer, going from end to end, and the less neutral observer carrying a torch for Club livened up as Nilsson came inches close of tapping in a low cross, after which Vanaken fired high over in what had been an excellent chance. And more followed, as Tzolis cut inside and went for the far post, but again the ball did not meet with the back of the nets. Club now kept coming, but Kobel was also in fine form. A neat one-two between Skov Olsen and Vetlesen resulted in a great chance as the ball seemed goal-bound, but Kobel got a last-gasp slap to the ball to put it into corner kick.
The pace was relentless, and both teams would surely not be able to keep it up, sot both coaches decided to bring on fresh blood. The home side sent on Jutglà and Sabbe for Nilsson and Seys. Just when the game seemed to be in balance, slightly tipping over in favour of the hosts, Club suffered a bitter blow. Gittens, just in, was left a tad too much room on the left, and had a crack at goal. The ball chipped off both Sabbe and Ordóñez, and swerved in goal over Mignolet. A serious setback for the hosts, and Dortmund now really took over. With just a few minutes to go, that same Gittens again made his way through the box on the left, and surprised Club's goalie from close range.
Three minutes of added time would not change the result of the game, but only added salt to injury for the hosts. Guirassy was fouled inside the box, and a penalty kick was the harsh verdict. Dortmund's striker felt no remorse, panenka'ing in the harsh final score. A thrilling game saw a very solid Club, but in the end the 0-3 is a jarring result.
UEFA
Champions League – Match Day 1
Audience: 29,042
– Jan
Breydel Stadium
Ref: Mr. Irfan
Peljto (BIH)
Club Brugge: Simon
Mignolet – Joaquin Seys
(71’ Kyriani Sabbe),
Brandon Mechele, Joel
Ordóñez, Maxim
De Cuyper – Raphael
Onyedika, Hugo
Vetlesen, Hans Vanaken –
Andreas Skov Olsen, Gustaf Nilsson (65’
Ferran Jutglà), Christos
Tzolis.
Bench: Nordin
Jackers, Zaid Romero, Ferran
Jutglà, Romeo Vermant, Michał
Skóraś, Casper
Nielsen, Ardon Jashari, Kyriani Sabbe, Chemsdine Talbi.
Coach: Nicky Hayen.
Borussia
Dortmund: Gregor
Kobel – Julian Ryerson,
Nico Schlotterbeck, Niklas Süle, Ramy Bensebaini (59’
Waldemar Anton) – Donyell
Malen (59’ Serhou
Guirassy), Marcel
Sabitzer (68’ Jamie
Gittens), Emre
Can, Julian Brandt, Pascal Groß
(68’
Felix Nmecha) –
Karim Adeyemi (87’
Yan Couto).
Bench:
Alexander Meyer, Marcel Lotka, Yan Couto, Waldemar
Anton, Felix Nmecha, Serhou Guirassy, Maximilian Beier, Julien
Duranville, Almugera Kabar, Jamie Gittens, Ayman Azhil.
Coach:
Nuri
Şahin.
Yellow: Vetlesen,
Ryerson
Red: none
Goals: 76’
Gittens (0-1), 86’ Gittens (0-2), 90+5’ Guirassy (0-3)