So close. Club Brugge could not manage to fight its way towards the Conference League final. Maxim De Cuyper headed Blue a Black into an early lead, and for a long time prolongations seemed to be deciding, but a late penalty goal by Beltran obliterated Club's Final aspirations.
Nicky Hayen made four changes to the team that had beaten Antwerp on Sunday. Kyriani Sabbe coming on for the injured Meijer, allowing De Cuyper to move to left back. In midfield, Denis Odoi replaced the suspended Onyedika, while up front Thiago played in front of Skóraś and Jutglà, playing at the expense of Nusa and Skov Olsen, out injured just earlier today.
Last week's 3-2 defeat in Italy meant Club needed one or more goals to at least make it to prolongations. The visitors initially taking care of possession, it was Club that asked Fiorentina the first questions as Thiago first just failed to shoot and moments later Dodo was able to clear the ball just in front of De Cuyper after a fine Jutglà cross. Fiorentina did respond through a Mandragora shot going over, but it was the hosts taking the lead just twenty minutes into the game: Vanaken with the goalbound cross, and De Cuyper brushing it in with the slightes of touches.
The visitors did not despair, however, and now really shifted gears. Mignolet produced an excellent foot save on an attempt by Gonzalez, and Beltran headed the rebound wide. Former Anderlecht striker Kouamé also failed to frame his header, while a shot by Belotti went wide via Ordóñez. Club got away well, but also missed the chance to make it 2-0 on the half-hour mark. Thiago was able to shake off Milenkovic, but his lay-back to Skóraś was cleared in the knick of time by Dodo. Skóraś's subsequent corner kick was then one-timed over by Vanaken.
Ten minutes before halftime, Fiorentina came very close to the equalizer, as Kouamé lashed out heavily from well outside the box, but his blast collided with the underside of the crossbar on the goal line and back into the field. Both teams then had one more chance to change the scoreline: a free kick by De Cuyper went just wide via Ordóñez's belly and a hard shot by Kouamé whizzed over goal.
After the break, the first danger was again for the hosts, as an elaborate short-passed sequence ended up with Arthur Melo tapping it just wide of his own goal. The corner kick that followed ended up with Odoi, but the Ghanaian was not lined up well enough to head it into goal. The fine start grinded to a halt, however, and the visitors managed to successfully press Club into trouble, with the hosts hardly able to keep the ball within their own ranks. A free kick from Biraghi went over, while Ordóñez managed to clear a cross from that same Biraghi just in front of Belotti.
With fifteen minutes on the clock, the woodwork was in the way of Fiorentina two more times. First, a free kick taken by Biraghi from just outside the box hammered the crossbar and immediately after, a header by Kouamé chipped off the post. Club was seeing stars, and with seven minutes on the clock, disaster struck. A volleyed ball ended up inside the box, where Mechele went for the ball as Nzola tried to head it on low to the ground and was brought down. A penalty kick was awarded; a harsh decision, even more so as Beltran did not hesitate to slice in the 1-1 past Mignolet.
In injury time, De Cuyper went down inside the box, but this time the ref allowed the game to continue. Denis Odoi - already substituted and on the bench - then picked up a second yellow after pushing the ball against Dodo's chest (as the Italian was stalling). In the absolute final seconds of the game, Club came very close to scoring that crucial 2-1, but goalkeeper Terracciano had an excellent save in store to deny Vanaken after a great surging run and shot. No third European final for Club, who can now focus on the title race.
UEFA Europa Conference League: Semi-finals (second leg)
Audience: 29,000 - Jan Breydel Stadium
Referee: Mr. Halil Umut Meler (Tur)
Club Brugge: Simon Mignolet - Kyriani Sabbe, Joel Ordóñez, Brandon Mechele, Maxim De Cuyper - Denis Odoi (86' Casper Nielsen), Hugo Vetlesen (70' Philip Zinckernagel), Hans Vanaken - Michał Skóraś (86' Antonio Nusa), Igor Thiago, Ferran Jutglà. Bench: Nordin Jackers, Joe Bursik, Casper Nielsen, Antonio Nusa, Éder Balanta, Jorne Spileers, Shion Homma, Joaquin Seys and Chemsdine Talbi. Coach: Nicky Hayen.
ACF Fiorentina: Pietro Terracciano - Dodo, Nikola Milenkovic, Lucas Martinez Quarta, Cristiano Biraghi - Lucas Beltran (90' Luca Ranieri), Arthur (71' Alfred Duncan), Rolando Mandragora - Nicolas Gonzalez, Andrea Belotti (71' M'Bala Nzola), Christian Kouamé. Coach: Vincenzo Italiano.
Yellow: Ordóñez, Thiago, Vetlesen, Odoi, Mechele, Milenkovic, Nzola, Dodo.
Red: 94' Odoi.
Goals: 21' De Cuyper (1-0), 85' Beltran (penalty, 1-1).
