On the penultimate match dayof the Champions' Playoffs , Club Brugge had a first match ball in the title race and this at the KV Mechelen pitch. Club took the lead after a wonderful goal by Tzolis and 0-1 was also the score at halftime. In the second half, KV Mechelen came alongside through van Brederode, but the Bruges fans soon regained the lead through Tresoldi. In the end, van Brederode equalized, but after Union's draw Club could still celebrate. Club is champion and takes its twentieth national title!
Blauw-Zwart took a devastating blow last Sunday by beating direct title rival Union 5-0 at home. This was a huge step towards a twentieth national title. For the possible title match against KV Mechelen, coach Leko did not have to make any major changes to his starting line-up and that did not happen... Exactly the same eleven tenors of the game against Union started in the AFAS Stadium. Among others, van den Heuvel was back in between the posts and the attacking trio consisted of Forbs, Tzolis and Tresoldi.
In the opening minutes of the match, both teams somewhat watched the cat out of the tree, but after five minutes the nets did vibrate a first time for Club. Forbs got the leather past De Wolf from close range, but unfortunately the early celebration did not go ahead. Vanaken was in fact offside during the build-up to this phase and consequently the goal was disallowed. The home team responded to this moments later with a free kick in the Bruges sixteen, but fortunately Seys was in the right position to block the attempt. A few minutes later, however, another excellent opportunity followed for Blauw-Zwart through Vetlesen, but De Wolf went well flat on the Norwegian's cross-cornered effort. Club did keep coming and this time Vetlesen was the culprit. He played the ball well backwards for the infiltrating Stanković, but his blast was too central and so De Wolf was able to parry the shot. The danger kept coming from Bruges' feet and just after the quarter hour mark the deserved lead was a reality! Tresoldi received the ball on the edge of the sixteen and then laid off for Tzolis. Club's Greek winger did not hesitate for a moment and delightfully popped the leather into the corner.
Halfway through the first half, it was clear that the visitors were in control of the game and KV Mechelen was unable to threaten van den Heuvel. After 35 minutes, Club came close to De Wolf once more and Mechelen's defense couldn't get the ball away. Tzolis blocked the leather and so the ball almost got to the feet of Tresoldi, but in the end the goalie of the home team could easily intervene. Shortly after, Blauw-Zwart put on a wonderful combination through Stanković and Tzolis who eventually reached Vetlesen on the edge of the sixteen. The latter then played aside for Forbs, got the ball back and unfortunately ended up kicking it just wide of the goal. Now the home team did respond through a corner kick by Van Brederode that was deviated by Salifou. This forced van den Heuvel into a save, but Club's goalie pushed the ball back into the corner. Thus we went into halftime with a small but deserved lead....
The same 22 tenors made their appearance for the second half, and in it it was Club that immediately went in search of that second goal. Vetlesen played the ball nicely to the free Forbs, but the Portuguese express train did not get past De Wolf from close range. A few minutes later the signs were suddenly level. Boersma passed the ball to van Brederode, who kicked towards goal. However, the ball was deviated by Mechele, causing van den Heuvel to be surprised and see the equalizer go through his legs into the net. The visitors were not stunned for too long, however, as an opportunity was soon created for Stanković who ran in deep, but De Wolf was well out of the way and neutralized the danger. This proved to be only a stay of execution, as one minute later a new Bruges lead was already on the scoreboard! First, Seys blocked a ball and then got the leather against his hand, but this was not whistled as a penalty. Then it went quickly to the other side where Tzolis played the ball aside for Tresoldi and the latter did not hesitate to clinically kick the 1-2 past De Wolf into the nets. Thus, quite soon, Blauw-Zwart had regained control of the match and was able to poke and prod from time to time. For example, Mechele was able to head on a corner kick, but he saw the ball end up over goal. Soon after, it was Tresoldi who was able to put his head against the ball on a cross from Forbs, but this time De Wolf picked out with an excellent save. Moments later, Tzolis sprinkled an excellent pass to Forbs, who first cut out his opponent well, but then Marsa still slid his effort into a corner kick.
About halfway through the second half several substitutions were made on both sides, including Sandra and Vermant coming into the team for Vetlesen and Tresoldi. Meanwhile there was another good opportunity for the home team, but from a sharp angle Koudou kicked the ball over goal from close range. Moments later, Hammar also went for his chance on a dropped ball, but he failed to frame his blast. After 85 minutes, van den Heuvel had to intervene once on a shot by Hammar, but the goalie tapped the leather over his goal. In the corner that followed, van den Heuvel unfortunately misjudged the corner and saw the ball go straight into goal. The home team now suddenly gained confidence and shortly after, Raman went in deep, but he popped wide of the goal from a sharp angle.
An extra five minutes were counted, during which Club had to bite its nails. On the other pitch, Union had taken the lead, but that goal was eventually disallowed due to offside. In the end, both Club and Union drew and so Blauw-Zwart can celebrate a new title. The second star is in!
Champions' Play-offs - Day 9
Spectators: 16,000 - AFAS Stadium
Referee: Simon Bourdeaud'hui
KV Mechelen: Ortwin De Wolf - Massimo Decoene, Redouane Halhal, José Marsà (86' Gora Diouf) - Thérence Koudou (78' Bill Antonio), Fredrik Hammar, Dikeni Salifou (68' Benito Raman), Mathis Servais - Kerim Mrabti (78' Mory Konaté), Bouke Boersma, Myron van Brederode.
Bench: Tijn Van Ingelgom, Gora Diouf, Mory Konaté, Bilal Bafdili, Benito Raman, Ian Struyf, Keano Vanrafelghem, Mauro Lenaerts, Bill Antonio.
Coach: Frederik Vanderbiest.
Club Brugge: Dani van den Heuvel - Hugo Siquet (82' Jorne Spileers), Joel Ordóñez, Brandon Mechele, Joaquin Seys - Aleksandar Stanković, Hugo Vetlesen (78' Cisse Sandra), Hans Vanaken - Carlos Forbs, Nicolò Tresoldi (78' Romeo Vermant), Christos Tzolis.
Bench: Simon Mignolet, Nordin Jackers, Bjorn Meijer, Jorne Spileers, Kyriani Sabbe, Raphael Onyedika, Cisse Sandra, Mamadou Diakhon, Romeo Vermant, Gustaf Nilsson.
Coach: Ivan Leko.
Yellow cards: Siquet, Mrabti, Spileers.
Red cards: None
Goals: 17' Tzolis (0-1), 48' van Brederode (1-1), 51' Tresoldi (1-2), 87' van Brederode (2-2)