Club Brugge secured a place in the Champions' Playoffs thanks to a 3-1 home victory against Oud-Heverlee Leuven. Blauw-Zwart went behind after a goal by Pletinckx, but put the lopsided situation right thanks to an owngoal by Leysen, a clever free kick by Vanaken and a goal by Meijer.
Ronny Deila made four changes to the team that went down against Molde on Thursday. De Cuyper and Onyedika were suspended, while Spileers and Skóraś also disappeared from the starting lineup. Ordóñez, Vetlesen, Skov Olsen and Zinckernagel came in their place. Simon Mignolet had not yet recovered and so Nordin Jackers was allowed to start in goal for the third time in a row.
From the opening minute, the Bridge Kings claimed possession of the ball and also created the first threat. A free kick by Skov Olsen went over the bar and goalkeeper Leysen saved shots by Nielsen and Zinckernagel. The visitors set up a solid organization and meanwhile lurked on the counter. Thus Jackers had to push a deviated shot by Schrijvers over the bar, while another shot by Schrijvers and a header by Maziz were not framed.
Club was clearly in control but was not overflowing with confidence and suffered another blow on the half-hour when Ewoud Pletinckx headed in a corner kick. Blauw-Zwart tried to respond immediately, but a header by Jutglà collided back into the field via the far post. Five minutes before the break, Tobe Leysen misjudged a Bjorn Meijer cross and pushed the ball into his own goal. On the stroke of half-time Skov Olsen also threatened, but the Dane's effort went just wide.
On the hour, Michał Skóraś was allowed to fill in and the Pole immediately brought more cutting edge. In his first action he was pushed to the ground on the edge of the sixteen meters. The subsequent free kick was deliciously kicked in by Hans Vanaken. A good minute later it was even 3-1. Leysen cleared a corner kick from Skov Olsen and after a scrimmage the ball ended up at Bjorn Meijer, who kicked it into the far corner.
The match appeared to be in a final fold, as OHL was unable to put Club in any more trouble. A good intervention by Jackers after a Maziz cross was needed, but it was the Brugge players who came close to a fourth goal a few more times: an effort by Skov Olsen went over goal, a header goal by Jutglà was disallowed due to offside and a cross-shot by Skov Olsen whizzed past. Thanks to this victory, Club secures a place in the Champions' Playoffs.
Jupiler Pro League – Matchday 29
Attendance: 25.000 – Jan Breydelstadion
Referee: Jan Boterberg
Club Brugge: Nordin Jackers – Denis Odoi (46’ Kyriani Sabbe), Joel Ordóñez, Brandon Mechele, Bjorn Meijer – Casper Nielsen, Hugo Vetlesen, Hans Vanaken – Andreas Skov Olsen (87’ Chemsdine Talbi), Ferran Jutglà (79’ Víctor Barberá), Philip Zinckernagel (59’ Michał Skóraś). Bank: Joe Bursik, Nick Shinton, Dedryck Boyata, Jorne Spileers en Shion Homma. Coach: Ronny Deila.
Oud-Heverlee Leuven: Tobe Leysen – Joël Shingtienne, Ewoud Pletinckx, Federico Ricca (71’ Hamza Mendyl) – Richie Sagrado, Siebe Schrijvers (71’ Kento Misao), Ezechiel Banzuzi (89’ Joren Dom), Takahiro Akimoto (83’ Nathan Opoku) - Youssef Maziz, Jonatan Braut Brunes, Jón Dagur Thorsteinsson (83’ Florian Miguel). Coach: Oscar Garcia.
Yellow cards: Schingtienne, Akimoto.
Red cards: none
Goals: 31’ Pletinckx (0-1), 40’ Leysen (owngoal, 1-1), 62’ Vanaken (2-1), 64’ Meijer (3-1).
