Match day 23 of the Jupiler Pro League produced a clash between last season's champions and runners up: Union vs Club Brugge. Half an hour in, the home team took the lead through Zorgane, and in a second half with only slight opportunities on both sides, no more goals were added to the score line. Club lost the topper against Union by the narrowest of margins.
On Wednesday, Club celebrated another one of those historic European nights at its own Jan Breydel Stadium by convincingly beating Marseille to qualify for the next round of the UEFA Champions League. Little reason for coach Leko to change his starting lineup ahead of the clash with Union, but two new names were to be noted among the eleven starters. In defense, Ordóñez was sitting out his last day of suspension and was replaced by Spileers. In the attacking compartment, perhaps the biggest surprise was the lining up of Forbs, Diakhon and Tzolis, the latter preferred over Vermant, changing to organisation to a system without a true deep forward.
The opening minutes saw a home team claimed the ball, but after five minutes the first real goal threat came from the Bruges team as the ball was passed quickly from foot to foot in midfield before going wide to Diakhon. The latter cut inside and then targeted the far corner, but Sykes threw himself in the path of the shot converting into corner kick. This early threat did not immediately herald a series of chances, however, and a elaborate study round followed, with the two contenders keeping each other in balance, characterized by midfield play and much duelling.
Just over halfway the first half, Club got a free kick on the left wing with Tzolis putting himself behind the ball. The Greek winger looked for the far post, but the leather ended up going wide of Scherpen's goal. Union responded with a free kick from Schoofs that found Burgess' head by the far post, where the latter headed the ball back into the pack where Sykes extended it with his head to see it worked into corner kick off Spileers. Union started pressing a bit more and after half an hour their first truly big chance proved golden: another corner kick found Sykes and the ball fell to Zorgane who did not hesitate to kick the 1-0 past Mignolet from close range. Shortly before halftime, the home side tried again as Guilherme tried his luck from afar, alertly pawed away by Mignolet. In the ensuing corner kick, Burgess was able to head, but it came straight into the hands of Club's goalie.
The same 22 names manned the pitch for the second half and this time it was the visitors claiming possession. The first big opportunity of the second half, however, was for Union. After a good dribble, Mac Allister played the ball to the David, left all alone inside the box. Fortunately, he popped the ball a little too wildly towards goal and Mignolet did not have to intervene. Just before the hour, Leko made a first intervention by switching Onyedika for Tresoldi, increasing the attacking effort. After an hour of play, Union got a free kick in an interesting spot and Schoofs curled the ball over the wall. Fortunately, however, Mignolet was standing right and diving the leather well away from danger. Shortly after another threat by the home team as David was able to control the ball and try his luck on the turn, but his blast was not framed.
David was the most dangerous man in the hosts' side, though, as halfway through the second half he asked for the ball in depth before kicking wide from a sharp angle. After 78 minutes, newcomer Lemaréchal was allowed to make his Club debut, at which point the Bruges players also created danger. Forbs got the ball on the side, playing it back centrally for Tresoldi. The latter immediately took a hard shot, but unfortunately could not keep his effort low enough. A few minutes later, though, Blauw-Zwart got off with a scare when David placed the incoming Zeneli alone in front of Mignolet with a clever backheel. Big Si came out triumphant, however, preventing the double deficit. At the end of regular playing time, thé best chance to equalise came after a rehearsed free kick, as Tzolis found the head of Tresoldi, but his header from close range was excellently saved by Scherpen and Vanaken's rebound disappeared over goal.
Finally, three extra minutes were added, with Club unfortunately not able to score that wanted equalizer.
Jupiler Pro League - Match Day 23
Audience: 9,000 - Stade Joseph Marien
Referee: Mr. Nathan Verboomen
Union Saint-Gilloise: Kjell Scherpen - Kevin Mac Allister, Christian Burgess, Ross Sykes - Anan Khalaili, Adem Zorgane (79' Besfort Zeneli), Rob Schoofs, Louis Patris - Anouar Ait El Hadj (90' Ousseynou Niang), Promise David (90' Mohammed Fuseini), Guilherme Smith (90+2' Fedde Leysen).
Bench: Vic Chambaere, Giorgi Kavlashvili, Fedde Leysen, Guillaume François, Ivan Pavlic, Besfort Zeneli, Ousseynou Niang, Mateo Biondic, Raul Florucz, Mohammed Fuseini.
Coach: David Hubert.
Club Brugge: Simon Mignolet - Kyriani Sabbe (89' Hugo Siquet), Jorne Spileers, Brandon Mechele, Joaquin Seys (89' Bjorn Meijer) - Raphael Onyedika (57' Nicolò Tresoldi), Aleksandar Stanković, Hans Vanaken - Carlos Forbs (89' Romeo Vermant), Christos Tzolis, Mamadou Diakhon (77' Félix Lemaréchal).
Bench: Nordin Jackers, Hugo Siquet, Vince Osuji, Bjorn Meijer, Cisse Sandra, Hugo Vetlesen, Félix Lemaréchal, Nicolò Tresoldi, Romeo Vermant.
Coach: Ivan Leko.
Yellow: Diakhon, Sykes, Mechele, Zorgane, Burgess
Red: none
Goal: 31' Zorgane (1-0)