Club Brugge kicked off the New Year with a Croky Cup Quarter finals mission at the Stade du Pays de Charleroi. Twenty minutes in, the home team took the lead from the spot through Guiagon, only to see that same Guiagon double the score with a fantastic long range strike just before the stroke of half time. In the second half, the visitors tried restoring the balance, but the score at half time also became the final score, meaning an end has come to Club Brugge's Croky Cup adventure.
Blauw-Zwart ended 2025 on a high with a spectacular wain at KRC Genk, and the performance clearly pleased coach Ivan Leko as he put the same eleven names on the board for the cup game against Charleroi. That meant that, in the absence of Onyedika, Vetlesen could start in midfield again and that the attacking trio consisted of Forbs, Vermant and Tzolis. Finally, van den Heuvel was back in goal, as Mignolet and Jackers were still not fit to play.
The opening stages saw two teams with a lot of intensity and sharp duels, but without any concrete goal threat. Club did try to take command, but the home team proved a very well organized ensemble. Ten minutes into the game, the visitors produced the the first real goal threat as Vanaken played it to Forbs inside the box. The Portuguese winger then played it on to Sabbe making the overlap. His sharp and low cross eventually reached Vetlesen at the far post, but the angle was too sharp and he again put the leather centrally in front of goal, unfortunately without finding a team mate. Some minutes later, the hosts were handed a first chance on a silver platter as van den Heuvel was lucky to see Scheidler not make the most of a fumble playing it out. Unfortunately, this proved to be a stay of execution, as Charleroi was awarded a penalty kick moments later. Seys took too long to clear the ball, with Charleroi regaining possession as Mechele tapped Scheidler inside the box and ref Lambrechts immediately pointed to the spot. Guiagon remained calm and sent van den Heuvel the wrong way to give the home team the lead.
A blow for the visitors, gradually trying to regain possession, and just before the half hour mark Tzolis tried his luck upon a cross from Vermant, but the Greek winger's shot lacked direction. Soon after, Stanković went for his chance from distance, but his blast landed against the head of an oncoming defender. Moments later, the visitors got away well as Seys slipped in the center circle as Charleroi went for the break, allowing Bernier to play the ball into the path of Pflücke. The latter surged on goal heading for van den Heuvel, but Club's goalie pulled off an ultimate reflex to keep the leather out. Blauw-Zwart's response was not long in coming via a cross from Seys, finding Vermant to head for goal but Delavallée also reacted well to prevent the equalizer. Just as the crowd settled for a 1-0 score, Guiagon dealt Club another blow in added time, producing a scorching shot from long range (2-0).
The second half started with the same 22 names, but now it was Charleroi that came out of the locker room best. After a few minutes, Delavallée sent a deep ball for Van Den Kerkhof, misjudged by Tzolis. Fortunately, Mechele was able to intervene in the nick of time, preventing Van Den Kerkhof's cross from reaching a teammate. After ten minutes Club did threaten once with Sabbe having space and time to deliver a cross, finding Vermant inside the box, but he headed the leather just wide of goal. Club now started pushing on, as Forbs rushed past Nzita and then tried craftily, but his attempt took a deflection off Keita and Delavallée had to pull out an ultimate reflex to prevent the tying goal. At the other end, Club also got away well when Bernier took a shot on the turn. Fortunately, the shot was deviated by Vanaken and the ball went over.
Halfway through the second half, Club again escaped: on a corner kick Keita climbed highest and was able to head towards goal from close range. Fortunately, van den Heuvel was on hand to thwart another goal. Coach Ivan Leko, meanwhile, had already brought on Diakhon and intervened by bringing on Tresoldi and Reis as well. With all the attacking prowess, space obviously opened up allowing Charleroi to take advantage. Camara popped up in the box, but his deflected shot flew into the side netting. Moments later, Guiagon dribbled into the box, laying off for Romsaas, but the latter's attempt went just over. At the end of regular playing time, the tying goal finally came as Stanković extended a free kick with his head in goal, but Club's hopes were soon dashed, as the goal was disallowed for offside by the Serbian.
In the end, five extra minutes were counted and in it Club had to continue with 10. Gaudin pulled down Campbell and the latter retaliated, and was sent off with a red card. Nothing more changed the score and so, unfortunately, the Bruges fans' cup adventure came to an end.
Croky Cup - Quarter finals
Audience: 15,000 - Stade du Pays de Charleroi
Referee: Mr. Erik Lambrechts
R Charleroi SC: Martin Delavallée - Kevin Van Den Kerkhof, Aiham Ousou, Check Keita, Mardochée Nzita (75' Jules Gaudin) - Étienne Camara, Yassine Titraoui, Patrick Pflücke (70' Mehdi Boukamir) - Antoine Bernier (70' Jakob Napoleon Romsaas), Aurélien Scheidler, Parfait Guiagon (90+3' Antoine Colassin).
Bench: Mohamed Koné, Jules Gaudin, Amine Boukamir, Antoine Colassin, Raymond Asante, Filip Szymczak, Mehdi Boukamir, Yassine Khalifi, Jakob Napoleon Romsaas.
Coach: Hans Cornelis.
Club Brugge: Dani van den Heuvel - Kyriani Sabbe (61' Mamadou Diakhon), Joel Ordóñez, Brandon Mechele, Joaquin Seys (86' Bjorn Meijer) - Aleksandar Stanković, Hugo Vetlesen (71' Ludovit Reis), Hans Vanaken - Carlos Forbs (86' Shandre Campbell), Romeo Vermant (71' Nicolò Tresoldi), Christos Tzolis.
Bench: Axl De Corte, Argus Vanden Driessche, Jorne Spileers, Bjorn Meijer, Hugo Siquet, Ludovit Reis, Cisse Sandra, Mamadou Diakhon, Nicolò Tresoldi, Shandre Campbell.
Coach: Ivan Leko.
Yellow: Gaudin, Tzolis
Red: Campbell
Goals: 20' Guiagon (1-0), 45+2' Guiagon (2-0)