Club Brugge made it late at Sclessin, claiming a 1-2 win after Saïd had put the hosts in front early on, but Tzolis equalized immediately. Club took matters in hand in the second half, particularly when Fossey was sent off. The deserved winner finally came in injury time courtesy of Romeo Vermant.
Nicky Hayen made four changes to the team that had drawn so dramatically with Westerlo on Wednesday. In defense, Meijer and Ordóñez were preferred over Sabbe and Spileers, while in midfield Stanković and Sandra came on for Audoor and the injured Onyedika. Sclessin was ablaze, but it was Club that got off to the best start. A ball cleared came to Vanaken, taking it in one go and popping it hard off the underside of the crossbar into goal. The goal was disallowed, however, due to prior offside.
This served as the perfect wake-up call for the hosts, who had a great reaction in store. At first Henry just couldn't get to a fine cross from the left, but moments later the score was still opened as Rafiki Saïd took off on his own half, cut inside and smashed the 1-0 past Jackers. A blow for Club, but the visitors reacted in style: Forbs with the perfect cross to find Christos Tzolis by the far post, heading in the 1-1.
That scorching start was followed up well, with things still going well back and forth. Standard may well have had the better chances, though: 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 beat him to the ball. At the stroke of halftime, a shot by Henry, broken through, went inches wide.
At the start of the second half the first danger came from the visitors: a header by Tresoldi went wide, while nobody could get a toe against 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. Club tried to reclaim the upperhand, however, which also resulted in some chances: a deviated shot by Vanaken went over, Epolo grabbed a shot by Sandra, an effort by Tresoldi went wide and Epolo had another great reflex on a shot by Stanković.
With Club now firmly in control, matters were helped a bit as Marlon Fossey was sent off by ref Vergoote after he toppled Tzolis with his foot raised high. Club started besieging 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 in what was a very promising chance. At the start of extra time, however, Club's hard work paid off as Mechele chested it to Romeo Vermant, slamming in the 1-2!
Jupiler Pro League - Match Day 9
Audience: 25,000 - Sclessin
Referee: Mr. 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: Nielsen, Mohr, Seys, Karamoko, Tzolis.
Red: 63' Fossey.
Goals: 9' Saïd (1-0), 10' Tzolis (1-1), 90+1' Vermant (1-2).