Hans Vanaken: Ultimately relieved with this point
After a scoreless first half, Charleroi took the lead briefly after halftime. "Just after the break they scored from one of the only times they had come into our box. Afterwards, we kept going, kept trying. Brandon Mechele almost scored but we kept going full steam ahead."
After the severe red card for Onyedika, the Blues gradually resurfaced. "I still have to watch the footage, but on the pitch it seemed like a very strict decision and yellow certainly seemed sufficient. With a man less you start thinking less. That was the reason why we performed well during the final minutes of the match. You still want to try to get that point and go full out, full for every ball." continued Vanaken about Club Brugge's strong finish in Charleroi.
The man less situation created space for Charleroi but they pounced on a strong Mignolet. He kept the 1-0 on the board a couple of times. "He deserves to be awarded as man of the match because of, among other things, a fantastic save. You start putting pressure and then there is more space for the opponent. It's good that you can then count on a rock-solid goalkeeper."
Entering extra time, Hans Vanaken managed to kick the well-deserved equaliser against the nets with a volley. The equaliser came with a bit of luck: the ball deflected off a Charleroi player's leg.
"In the end, though, it's a relief. After this match and how it went, this is a point won for us." he spoke visibly pleased. "We also deserve to be lucky sometimes. I don't know if the goalkeeper would have saved the ball otherwise but that doesn't matter anymore."
Nicky Hayen: "Last thirty minutes were how it really should be"
Even if coach Hayen was happy with the point reaped at Charleroi, he was also not blind to the team's shortcomings. "I'm not relieved, really. If we could have brought the same intensity with eleven as we did with ten in the last half hour, we would definitely have been eligible for more than the one point we got in the end."
Club was down to ten after Onyedika was shown a red card. "First, I believe this was too harsh a verdict. I just saw the footage, and it's true that he goes in feet forward. However, his first foot is planted on the ground, and the second then follows. There is absolutely no contact, so I do believe this is a harsh one."
Blue & Black still managed to apply more pressure after it. "We then started playing with guts and gusto. You know we are bound to concede chances too, but Simon Mignolet kept us afloat with a magnificent save. I do belive we have shown the intensity to keep playing forward, and to keep trying to get that equaliser. It then came, and it might have been the most we could get at that point. But we have to be honest: as I said, bring that same intensity with eleven, and one point would have been too little. I'm not mentioning any names, it's a general thing, and I have already indicated as much in the dressing rooms too. It's something we should have done from the onset, and sometimes it works out better. We knew this was going to be a rough away game. We were in control, and we did have some opportunities in the first half. But things need to be more focused when not in possession. Those last thirty minutes are the way to go, and we should bring that to the table the entire 90 minutes."
So one point it was for Club just before the trip to Austria in the CL. "This may turn out to be a vital point. I'm proud of the ten guys who managed to reel it in, or retained firm belief. That should come with a boost of energy, both towards Wednesday as towards the remainder of the league," coach Hayen concluded.