Club Brugge have won the top match against Genk 2-0. Blauw-Zwart dominated but looked to pay the ultimate price for the missed chances when Genk was awarded a spot kick fifteen minutes before the end. Luckily Mignolet kept it out and Club went on to win it with two goals in the final ten minutes of the game. First Brandon Mechele headed home, three minutes later Skov Olsen curled it in brilliantly.
Coach Nicky Hayen made two changes compared to Tuesday's win over Sporting Lisboa. Gustaf Nilsson, back from a lengthy injury, played up front with Chemsdine Talbi on the wing. Jutglà and Skov Olsen started the game on the bench. Blauw-Zwart was four points behind league leaders Genk before the game and hoped to narrow the gap.
Club started the game confidently following the recent eleven unbeaten games and the Champions League win earlier this week. Just two minutes into the game Vanaken headed Seys' cross narrowly wide. After ten minutes Club had another good chance to open the scoring after a brilliant build-up when Seys back-heeled it to Talbi, who then found De Cuyper unmarked at the far post. The left full-back squared it perfectly for Tzolis, but the Greek stabbed it wide. Shortly after the Greece international saw his effort sail wide. Genk didn't create a lot in the opening stages, apart from a shot by Tolu that missed the target.
After that intense start, the tempo of the game dropped a little but Club remained the better side and carved out a few chances. Tzolis tried his luck again with a shot and a volley at goal, but both went wide. With ten minutes before the half-time interval, Blauw-Zwart came close again when Onyedika slammed his shot against the post. Shortly after, Genk goalie Van Crombrugge was equal to an effort by Talbi and Nilsson couldn't take advantage from a miscommunication in the Genk defence.
The second half started with a handball from Kayembe inside the penalty area, but referee Vergoote waved away Club's appeal for a penalty kick and VAR did not intervene. Moments later Heynen was able to clear Seys dangerously looking cross and a long-distance strike from Nilsson missed the target. At the other side Tolu saw his header miss the target as well.
Twenty minutes before the end Talbi's low cross found Jashari, but the Swiss aimed his effort just wide of the target. And then the visitors were given a penalty when Tolu eagerly went down after a duel with Ordóñez. The Nigerian center forward took his responsibility, but Mignolet had guessed right and saved it quite comfortably. That penalty miss sparked Club's offensive aspirations again. Van Crombrugge had to tip away Jashari's strike out of the top corner and Ordóñez just headed the ball wide. Tzolis saw another attempt stopped - this time Van Crombrugge parried it away, but Club got in front on the following corner-kick when Mechele headed home.
Club wanted more. First Mechele's header went past the goal, but when Club was given a free-kick Vanaken surprised everyone. Instead of trying to curl it in, he played it it into the path of the unmarked Skov Olsen and the Dane drilled it into the far corner with the sweetest of touches: 2-0 with five minutes left.
Club didn't get in trouble anymore and grabs three important points. We're now just one point behind Genk.
Jupiler Pro League - Matchday 18
Attendance: 28,000 - Jan Breydelstadion
Referee: Jasper Vergoote
Club Brugge: Simon Mignolet - Joaquin Seys (90+2' Kyriani Sabbe), Joel Ordóñez, Brandon Mechele, Maxim De Cuyper - Raphael Onyedika, Ardon Jashari - Chemsdine Talbi (74' Andreas Skov Olsen), Hans Vanaken, Christos Tzolis (88' Casper Nielsen) - Gustaf Nilsson (74' Romeo Vermant). Bench: Nordin Jackers, Argus Vanden Driessche, Zaid Romero, Ferran Jutglà, Hugo Vetlesen and Jorne Spileers. Coach: Nicky Hayen.
KRC Genk: Hendrik Van Crombrugge - Zakaria El Ouahdi, Mujaid Sadick (82' Carlos Cuesta), Matte Smets, Joris Kayembe - Bryan Heynen, Patrik Hrošovský (82' Konstantinos Karetsas), Nikolas Sattlberger (75' Ibrahima Sory Bangoura) - Jarne Steuckers, Tolu Arokodare, Noah Adedeji-Sternberg (82' Hyeon-gyu Oh). Coach: Thorsten Fink.
Yellow cards: Sadick, Ordóñez, Vermant, Skov Olsen.
Red cards: none
Goals: 77' Mechele (1-0), 86' Skov Olsen (2-0).