A successful first step into the new year for Club Brugge, as it sent Oud-Heverlee Leuven packing in the Belgian Cup. Halfway through the first half, Christos Tzolis put the hosts in front, only to decide the game with a second with twenty minutes on the clock. A converted Michał Skóraś spot made it 3-0 on the night, helping Club to a spot in the Croky Cup Semi Finals, where it will pick up the gauntlet with KRC Genk.
Three changes to the team that had beaten Westerlo on 26 December. Nicky Hayen again opted for Nordin Jackers in this Cup game, while in the back Jorne Spileers and Maxim De Cuyper came on for Ordóñez and Romero. Club claiming the most possession from the start, a flurry of chances followed as shots by Nilsson and Tzolis were blocked, and a Jashari header was cleared.
The hosts were in control, but OHL nonetheless succeeded in creating some moments too. Mitrovic saw his deflected shot go wide, and it took a focused Mechele to keep Ikwuemesi from pushing through. Solidly forewarned by now, Club managed to translate its control of the game on the score line, as a blistering pass by Jashari through the centre reached Christos Tzolis, who took it with grace and aimed it in the far right corner past the visiting goalie.
The goal allowed Club to take the foot of the throttle, and Leuven saw its chance to react: Jackers was called upon as Maziz tried it in two goes, Ikwuemesi came just short of tapping in a fine Schrijvers cross, and Jackers again neutralised attempts by Mitrovic and Ikwuemesi. Not that Club was hapless, though: Tzolis could not be reached as Nielsen pulled it back neatly, Sabbe took a De Cuyper cross in one go but put it wide, and Jashari's shot sailed over. With half time in clear sight, Club escaped as Sabbe managed to clear a shot by N’Dri from the goal line.
The first real chance in the second half came fifteen minutes in, as Tzolis set up Vanaken, who pulled it back to Nilsson but Leysen had a fine reflex in store. This was followed almost immediately by a Vanaken shot going wide, and a bit later Jutglà followed up well on a scrimmage in front of goal, but without success. On the other side of the pitch, a Maziz attempt went high over.
With twenty minutes to go, Tzolis put the result beyond doubt. The Greek first put Skov Olsen through on the right wing, and after the Dane cut inside and put it in the path of Tzolis, the winger aimed it squarely in the bottom left corner to make it 2-0. After Skov Olsen saw another attempt blocked, Jackers proved the better of Maertens' shot. And it was not over yet. Club fans who had been at Jan Breydel against Westerlo knew the scenario: Michał Skóraś with the swift action past hs defender, only to be brought down inside the box, but the ref not budging claiming it was a schwalbe. The same happened against OHL, and again the ref was called by VAR to watch the footage, and again a spot kick was awarded. Skóraś with the hard shot in the bottom left hand corner, and 3-0 the final score.
The dying minutes of the game saw more saves by Leysen as he denied Jutglà and Vetlesen, while Ikwuemesi put a Vlietinck cross just wide of target. Club has once again made it to the Semis in the Belgian Cup, where it is set to meet with KRC Genk. The first leg of this encounter is scheduled next week.
Belgian Cup - Round of Eight
Audience: 15,000 – Jan Breydel Stadium
Ref: Mr. Lothar D'Hondt
Club Brugge: Nordin Jackers – Kyriani Sabbe, Jorne Spileers, Brandon Mechele, Maxim De Cuyper (62’ Bjorn Meijer) – Casper Nielsen (76’ Raphael Onyedika), Ardon Jashari (89’ Hugo Vetlesen) - Andreas Skov Olsen, Hans Vanaken, Christos Tzolis (76’ Michał Skóraś) – Gustaf Nilsson (62’ Ferran Jutglà). Bench: Simon Mignolet, Dani van den Heuvel, Amine Et-Taibi, Denzel De Roeve en Chemsdine Talbi. Coach: Nicky Hayen.
Oud-Heverlee Leuven: Tobe Leysen – Manuel Osifo (67’ Mathieu Maertens), Takuma Ominami, Hasan Kuruçay, Takahiro Akimoto – Wouter George (62’ Thibault Vlietinck), Siebe Schrijvers, Youssef Maziz (87’ Federico Ricca) – Konan N’Dri, Chukwubuikem Ikwuemesi, Stefan Mitrovic (62’ William Balikwisha). Coach: Chris Coleman.
Yellow: Sabbe, Mitrovic, Spileers, Kuruçay.
Red: none
Goals: 23’ Tzolis (1-0), 69’ Tzolis (2-0), 86’ Skóraś (penalty, 3-0).