Club Brugge kicked off the new season with a 1-1 draw against KV Mechelen. Blauw-Zwart dominated the entire game and took the lead shortly after the break through Joaquin Seys. However, Patrick Pflücke soon equalized. Club kept pushing, but Nilsson's winning goal splattered on the crossbar.
Nicky Hayen made three changes to the team that went down against Union in the Super Cup last week. Maxim De Cuyper came into the team as right back, at the expense of Amine Et-Taïbi. In midfield, Raphael Onyedika was favored over Casper Nielsen and up front Gustaf Nilsson replaced Ferran Jutglà. Newcomers Romero and Tzolis retained their starting places, while Jashari and Siquet were on the bench for the first time.
Club camped on KV Mechelen's half from the opening minute, but the visitors had put up a solid block. As a result, the Brugge side initially got no further than a blocked attempt by Vetlesen and a distance shot by De Cuyper. After twenty minutes the first big chance followed: after a through pass from Onyedika, Tzolis put the ball back in front of goal, but Nilsson let the ball flow and Nusa just couldn't reach it. Moments later, two attempts by Vetlesen went over goal. KV Mechelen folded back massively and tried to poke at it from time to time. Mignolet saved a shot by Pflücke, while Mrabti was unable to capitalize on a cross from the left.
On the half hour mark the first goal of the new league egg was scored after a pinball: a corner kick that was deflected away ended up in Onyedika's hands and his shot ricocheted off the post and back into the field, beating goalkeeper De Wolf. Blauw-Zwart then pushed the gas pedal a little harder: Nilsson headed a cross from Seys wide, while De Wolf saved well on a cross from Nusa and an effort from Tzolis. When the goalkeeper was nevertheless beaten by a header from Mechele, he was assisted on the goal line by Hairemans. Further attempts by Nusa and Tzolis also produced nothing.
After the break, Jutglà replaced Onyedika. Club immediately went in search of a goal and had a first chance after only a few minutes. De Wolf was able to pluck Nilsson's header out of the air, however. Immediately after that, Nilsson was stopped after a Vetlesen cross, but the ball went to Joaquin Seys, who kicked the first goal of the new season with a punt. A few minutes later another chance followed: an attempt by Nilsson was blocked and the rebound by Jutglà was too soft to surprise De Wolf.
The 2-0 was in the air, but it was actually KV Mechelen that was able to score. Newly-installed Petter Dahl pushed forward on the left and his cross was tapped in by Patrick Pflücke. For Club, that was the signal to pull out all the stops. Nicky Hayen threw fresh blood into the fray with Siquet and Skóraś, and later Nielsen and Skov Olsen. The Bruges players pushed forward with all their might and laid siege to the Mechelen goal: a hard shot by Romero went wide and De Wolf had a clever foot reflex on a shot by Siquet.
Club constantly camped in the KV Mechelen half, but the visitors held firm. A shot by Nilsson was blocked and a header by Romero went over goal. The best chance fell deep into injury time: after a Skov Olsen cross, Nilsson's header hit the crossbar. Just like last season, Club Brugge opens the league with a 1-1 draw against KV Mechelen.
Jupiler Pro League - Matchday 1
Attendance: 26,000 - Jan Breydelstadion
Referee: Erik Lambrechts
Club Brugge: Simon Mignolet - Maxim De Cuyper (67' Hugo Siquet), Brandon Mechele, Zaid Romero, Joaquin Seys - Hugo Vetlesen (80' Casper Nielsen), Raphael Onyedika (46' Ferran Jutglà), Hans Vanaken - Antonio Nusa (80' Andreas Skov Olsen), Gustaf Nilsson, Christos Tzolis (67' Michał Skóraś). Bank: Nordin Jackers, Axl De Corte, Andreas Skov Olsen, Romeo Vermant, Casper Nielsen, Ardon Jashari, Jorne Spileers and Chemsdine Talbi. Coach: Nicky Hayen.
KV Mechelen: Ortwin De Wolf - Sandy Walsh (61' Toon Raemaekers), Bas Van den Eynden, José Marsà (82' Rafik Belghali) - Patrick Pflücke, Rob Schoofs, Mory Konaté, Daam Foulon - Geoffry Hairemans (61' Bilal Bafdili), Kerim Mrabti (61' Petter Dahl) - Lion Lauberbach (85' Julien Ngoy). Coach: Besnik Hasi.
Yellow cards: Walsh, Siquet, Konaté.
Red cards: none
Goals: 51' Seys (1-0), 65' Pflücke (1-1).