Match Day 2 in the UEFA Champions League had a trip to Austria in store for Club Brugge, where it was set to meet with locals SK Sturm Graz. An albeit slender, but deserved first-half lead through Tsolis proved enough to claim the first three points of this UCL campaign.
A ten-men Club managed to salvage a point at Charleroi over the weekend, and compared to that encounter, coach Hayen served two changes to his Starting XI. In midfield, Jashari was given the nod, referring Vetlesen to the bench. Up front, Club had to make do without forward Nilsson, the Swede suffering from achilles pain and unfit. The way was open for Jutglà to team up with Skov Olsen and Tzolis to score the necessary goals. A gold-rimmed game for Vanaken too: the skipper celebrated his 50th appearance in the UEFA Champions League.
In an unexciting few opening minutes of the game, with the two teams sniffing each other out, Club started putting high pressure, which lead to a slight early warning by Jutglà. Skov Olsen with the chip over his defender to find the Catalan forward by the first post, but the latter missed target completely, just like Jashari, trying to upset the home goalie from long range. The first attempt on target was just 15 minutes into the game, as Scherpen was called upon to deny Tzolis. Sturm Graz' goalkeeper had trouble getting hold of the ball initially, but he chested it in two go's. Danger was thoroughly one-sided, and Blue & Black kept coming, and got the reward they wanted after 23 minutes: Onyedika with the neat cross pass to find Tzolis, who had a great first touch to put it in front of his right foot, magnificently curling it past Scherpen in the far corner. A massive goal to open the score.
Unrattled, the hosts now also pushed forward, but without asking Mignolet too many questions. Still before the half hour mark, a deflected ball ended up with Yalcouyé, who went his way, but the ball took another deflection to make its way past goal. A bit later, Biereth saw his attempt blocked by Ordóñez, and Kiteishvili's powerless attempt to tap it in in one go from a throw-in proved unsuccessful. A slender, but deserved lead for Club as the two teams headed for the dressing rooms in a rainy Klagenfurt.
With Skov Olsen off for Skóraś, Club again took matters in hand, trying to find fault in the home defense through high pressure. A fine chance to double the lead came ten minutes into the second half, but first Tzolis found Scherpen on his path from close range, and the goalie again saved the day with a good stretch as Skóraś found Jutglà in the heart of defense. The hosts now also made a double substitution, which brought a bit of life to the game, but this was short-lived. Fine crossing by Horvat was pawed away by Mignolet, and a bit later that same Horvat found Chukwuani upon a corner kick, but fortunately for Club the latter aimed just wide of target.
Club regained control bit by bit, and the two teams started making more changes. On Club side, Vermant came on for Jutglà. The finishing blow by Club did not follow, making it a tight affair. Closest to scoring was Skóraś, but his shot trickled past the far post. Club had to keep an eye out for That One Break, and with just a few minutes on the clock Geyrhofer tried from just outside the box, but his shot was tapped into corner kick by Mignolet.
Club managed to steer clear from any damage in the remaining four minutes of added time, taking the first three points in this revamped UEFA Champions League back to Bruges!
UEFA Champions League – Match Day 2
Audience: 29,863 – Wörthersee Stadium
Ref: Mr. Aliyar Aghayev (AZE)
SK Sturm Graz: Kjell Scherpen – Max Johnston, Emanuel Aiwu, Niklas Geyrhofer, Jusuf Gazibegovic – Malick Yalcouyé (82’ Lovro Zvonarek), Tochi Chukwuani (82’ Stefan Hierländer), Otar Kiteishvili – William Bøving (66’ Tomi Horvat), Amady Camara (58’ Seedy Jatta), Mika Biereth (66’ Erencan Yardimci).
Bench: Daniil Khudyakov, Matteo Bignetti, Erencan Yardimci, Lovro Zvonarek, Tomi Horvat, Emir Karic, Seedy Jatta, Arjan Malic, Stefan Hierländer, Markus Schopp, Oliver Sorg, Leon Grgic.
Coach: Christian Ilzer.
Club Brugge: Simon Mignolet – Joaquin Seys, Brandon Mechele, Joel Ordóñez, Maxim De Cuyper – Raphael Onyedika, Ardon Jashari, Hans Vanaken – Andreas Skov Olsen (46’ Michał Skóraś), Ferran Jutglà (77’ Romeo Vermant), Christos Tzolis.
Bench: Nordin Jackers, Zaid Romero, Hugo Vetlesen, Romeo Vermant, Michał Skóraś, Casper Nielsen, Kyriani Sabbe, Chemsdine Talbi.
Coach: Nicky Hayen.
Yellow: Aiwu, Geyrhofer, Yalcouyé, Chukwuani, Skóraś, Gazibegovic
Red: none
Goal: 23’ Tzolis (0-1)