The destination for Club on the second match day of the UEFA Champions League League Phase was Italian Bergamo where locals Atalanta eagerly awaited. The first half ended in 0-1 after Tzolis opened the score with a brilliant strike, but Atalanta drew level from the spot through Samardžić only to completely overturn it as Pašalić headed in the 2-1 for the Italians.
A last-gasp win for Club at Standard (1-2) came with a surge of confidence as the team took on the trip to Bergamo. Little reason for coach Nicky Hayen to tweak his starting line-up, with only one change in defence, as Sabbe rejoined the team at the expense of Meijer, pushing Seys to the left back position. Sandra kept his place in midfield and Tresoldi was preferred as the lone forward.
As expected the home team initially claimed the ball, resulted in two attempts straight from kick-off. Former Club player Kossounou first gave it a krack, but his attempt was unable to unsettle Jackers. A few minutes later the ball came to Bernasconi taking it in one go from just outside the sixteen, but fortunately it went wide of target. Club restored the balance, and made it to the other side of the pitch a bit later as Tzolis came from the right wing, taking it with his right, but letting it fly high over. Five minutes later, Atalanta combined through Éderson who was able to advance centrally, but the midfielder's shot ended up going several meters wide.
After half an hour, the Italians geared up again, pinning Club a bit more inside its box. The visitors were on the lookout for a swift break, however, and came close to opening the score as Tzolis was served up and tried to reach Tresoldi with a crafty ball. The latter came inches short of getting a good tap to the ball, however. A bit later, Forbs intercepted it well and laid it off to Tzolis. The Greek winger cut well to his right to then curl it deliciously past Carnesecchi from just outside the box.
The sole goal helped Club to a neat 0-1 advantage as the two teams headed for the dressing room.
With Bellanova off for Zappacosta, Atalanta tried to change tactics a bit, but the first real threat was for the visitors: Tzolis with the space, trying his luck from afar, but this time Carnesecchi proved the better of the effort. Atalanta responded moments later through Lookman but his placed ball towards the far post got a deflection sending it wide of target. The home side insisted a bit more now, and Zappacosta had a good go taking it in one neat flow, but the ball ended up meters wide. Another deflection helped Lookman to a fine chance as the ball seemed goalbound towards the first post, but an alert Jackers made sure the score remained at 0-1.
Halfway through the second half, however, Club conceded a first blow: Sandra with the bad pass and Atalanta surging forward, but initially Jackers had a great reaction in store, tapping it away from Musah, but the ball came to Pašalić who followed up well, receiving the slightest of touches, but enough for the ref to point towards the spot. Samardžić put himself behind the ball and sent Jackers the wrong way to make it all to play for. Hardly taken aback, the visitors werealmost immediately back in charge, as Vermant put fine pressure on the goalkeeper, intercepting the ball and going past Carnesecchi, but the angle proved too acute to slice it in. The game was a bit more of a seesaw at this point, as both Club and Atalanta were looking for that winner. Sulemana lashed in from long range, but his shot went wide. Atalanta now kept serving those high balls in front of goal, and one of them finally ended up with Pašalić to head in the Italian's lead from close range.
An extra five minutes were counted and Nicky Hayen tried turning the tides with a triple substitution. Unfortunately this was to no avail, as Atalanta played out the match in a mature way. A first defeat for Club in this League Phase, starting with a 3 out of 6.
UEFA Champions League - Match day 2
Audience: 23,439 - New Balance Arena
Referee: Mr. Espen Eskås (Noo)
Atalanta Bergamo: Marco Carnesecchi - Odilon Kossounou (53' Yunus Musah), Berat Djimsiti, Honest Ahanor - Raoul Bellanova (46' Davide Zappacosta), Marten de Roon, Mario Pašalić, Éderson (61' Lazar Samardžić), Lorenzo Bernasconi - Nikola Krstović (89' Marco Brescianini), Ademola Lookman (61' Kamaldeen Sulemana).
Bench: Francesco Rossi, Marco Sportiello, Yunus Musah, Kamaldeen Sulemana, Lazar Samardžić, Relja Obrić, Marco Brescianini, Daniel Maldini, Davide Zappacosta.
Coach: Ivan Juric.
Club Brugge: Nordin Jackers - Kyriani Sabbe (89' Bjorn Meijer), Joel Ordóñez (89' Zaid Romero), Brandon Mechele, Joaquin Seys - Cisse Sandra (89' Shandre Campbell), Aleksandar Stanković, Hans Vanaken - Carlos Forbs (74' Hugo Vetlesen), Nicolò Tresoldi (63' Romeo Vermant), Christos Tzolis.
Bench: Dani van den Heuvel, Zaid Romero, Ludovit Reis, Hugo Vetlesen, Bjorn Meijer, Romeo Vermant, Gustaf Nilsson, Vince Osuji, Hugo Siquet, Lynnt Audoor, Mamadou Diakhon, Shandre Campbell.
Coach: Nicky Hayen.
Yellow: Musah, de Roon
Red: none
Goals: 38' Tzolis (0-1), 74' Samardžić (1-1), 87' Pašalić (2-1)