Blauw-Zwart hosted Anderlecht on matchday 2 of the Champions' Play-Offs. Club came flying out of the blocks as Mechele headed in early on. In the second half Onyedika scored a brilliant brace before Dreyer pulled one back in stoppage time.
In last week's 1-1 draw in the city derby against Cercle Brugge, Club impressed in the second half by creating a number of good chances. Interim coach Hayen wanted to build on that energy, but was forced to make a few changes with Mignolet, Odoi and Skov Olsen sidelined and captain Vanaken ill. Compared to the game against Cercle, Hayen made two changes: Sabbe replaced Odoi on the right full-back position and Nielsen played in midfield, with Nielsen taking Vanaken's place. Up front Skóraś and Nusa played in support of Thiago.
Club started the evening on the front foot with a goal after just three minutes when a Skóraś corner found the head of Mechele at the near post and he guided the ball past Schmeichel in the far corner. A dream start for Club who were close to a second in the first ten minutes, when Skóraś' powerful effort from just outside the box was parried away by Schmeichel and Nielsen just couldn't tap home the rebound. A few minutes later Vertonghen thwarted Thiago with a last-ditch tackle. Just over fifteen minutes in, the visitors created their first chance of note on the break, but Dreyer fired it over the target.
Halfway the first Hazard tried it from an acute angle and saw his shot take a goalbound deflection on Meijer, but Jackers reacted attentively and kept it out. A few minutes later Hayen was forced into making an early substitution after Nielsen had picked up an injury. He sent on Jutglà and the Catalan almost immediately saw Club score a second when Thiago squared it to Meijer and the Dutchman rifled towards goal, but Debast stretched to block the shot. On the half-hour mark the Anderlecht defender tested Jackers with a long-distance shot, but the goalie soaked it up.
It was now a high-tempo game with chances on both ends. Thiago could have added another goal to Club's tally but chose to tee up Nusa, but that wasn't the best option. Club dominated most of the game and created the better chances, but failed to score a second. Meijer's free-kick was deflected off wide of the target and his header on the resulting corner was saved by Schmeichel. Thiago latched on to a fine ball over the top of the defence, but his looping effort over Schmeichel also beat the bar.
Club needed to stay focussed with just that one goal lead. When Onyedika played the ball into the feet of Dreyer, the Dane carried the ball forward before forcing Jackers into making a decent low save. After an entertaining first half Blauw-Zwart headed towards the dressing room with a deserved 1-0 lead.
No changes on either side as the teams fell in the same roles as in the first half, with Club claiming possession, trying to put high pressure on the Brussels defense. It took about ten minutes before the first chance followed, with Sabbe having the time and the space to try his luck from afar, but his shot whizzed over Schmeichel's goal. Just before the half hour mark, Onyedika saw Thiago head for goal and neatly tucked it past Vertonghen in the longing stride of the striker, bringing Thiago eye-to-eye with Schmeichel, but unfortunately the forward put it just wide. No second goal for Club, but moments later Jan Breydel exploded a second time. Skóraś with the ball wide to Onyedika, the crowd going "shoot", and Club's Nigerian midfielder masterfully firing it in the top right hand corner past a hapless Schmeichel. A true beauty!
Anderlecht was seeing stars, and tried brushing off through Dolberg, who had a great bicycle kick in mind but put it over. Pulling back bit by bit, Blauw-Zwart still managed to break out through an infiltrating Vetlesen, and in one of those attempts, the Norwegian saw his effort from close range go over. An excellent chance for the visitors to bring tension to the game followed, as Dolberg neatly put Amuzu through the off-side trap, but the latter found Jackers on his way, clearing the ball with an excellent reflex to deny that 2-1. Club's batteries seemed to be running low, but a solid organisation kept Anderlecht from creating any clear chances. Club kept luring on the break, and one of those breaks put Jutglà through on goal, starting from his first half towards Schmeichel, but he also aimed it too wide of target from an acute angle. With a handful of minutes left to play, however, Onyedika decided enough was enough, putting the result beyond doubt with an excellent placed ball to make it 3-0 for the hosts.
This one can no longer go wrong, seemed to be the spirit inside the stadium, abrim with joy after what had been a game filled with fans' chants and positive encouragement. Not even Dreyer's driving header to make it 3-1 could do anything about it, even if Vázquez came close to adding a second for the visitors in injury time. The final word in the game was for Jutgà, who tried beating Schmeichel with a crossed shot, but the Danish goalie proved the better of the effort. A clear and reassuring win for Club, beating one of the leaders at home, but also seeing that other leader suffering home defeat at the hands of that other Bruges club, Cercle. All to play for!
Champions’ Play-offs – Matchday 2
Attendance: 29.042 – Jan Breydel Stadium
Referee: Mr. Jonathan Lardot
Club Brugge: Nordin Jackers – Kyriani Sabbe, Joel Ordóñez, Brandon Mechele, Bjorn Meijer (79’ Maxim De Cuyper) – Raphael Onyedika, Casper Nielsen (26’ Ferran Jutglà), Hugo Vetlesen – Michał Skóraś (79’ Éder Balanta), Igor Thiago, Antonio Nusa (88’ Philip Zinckernagel).
Bench: Josef Bursik, Nick Shinton, Jorne Spileers, Dedryck Boyata, Maxim De Cuyper, Éder Balanta, Shion Homma, Philip Zinckernagel, Chemsdine Talbi, Ferran Jutglà.
Coach: Nicky Hayen.
RSC Anderlecht: Kasper Schmeichel – Killian Sardella, Zeno Debast, Jan Vertonghen, Ludwig Augustinsson – Thomas Delaney (64’ Francis Amuzu), Théo Leoni, Mario Stroeykens (64’ Majeed Ashimeru) – Anders Dreyer, Kasper Dolberg (76’ Nilson Angulo), Thorgan Hazard (76’ Luis Vázquez).
Bench: Colin Coosemans, Francis Amuzu, Majeed Ashimeru, Luis Vázquez, Louis Patris, Mats Rits, Nilson Angulo, Federico Gattoni, Kristian Arnstad.
Coach: Brian Riemer.
Yellow cards: Hazard, Riemer, Delaney, Ashimeru, Sardella, Onyedika, Augustinsson
Red cards: none
Goals: 3’ Mechele (1-0), 61’ Onyedika (2-0), 89’ Onyedika (3-0), 90+1’ Dreyer (3-1)
