Post-victory reactions came from Onyedika, Sabbe, Nusa, Jackers and coach ad interim Hayen.
Raphael Onyedika: “We long for more“
Club's MVP in the first home win against Anderlecht since October 2020 was undoubtedly Raphael Onyedika. Not only his two goals, but an impressive performance in midfield made sure the midfielder was all beams after the final whistle.
“To me personally it's nice to be elected MVP today, but it's really just a footnote in what has been an excellent game in which we have fought as a team and managed to claim that win ”, the Nigerian started his discourse. “I've had a number of fine games so far this season, and I have always kept working hard, but the two goals today really highlighted today's performance. I'm just really happy that I have been able to help out the team today. My first two goals of the season too, but I long for more. I was left all alone when I scored that second, and I immediately knew I had to go for it, as you should always give it a go in that position. When that ball then sails past the goalie in goal, you just float away. The same goes for that second goal, as I was brimming with confidence on the pitch.”
When asked what should be Club's hopes and aspirations for the remainder of the Play-Offs, the 22-year old was clear. "Right now, we need to enjoy this deserved win, but as of tomorrow we will have to refocus on other things to come. Right now the gap is at five points, so all is still to play for, we shouldn't give up just yet. We just keep pushing… “ (MV)
Kyriani Sabbe: “Played with lots of gusto"
A logical and deserved win for Club, sending Anderlecht packing after an intense and fiery game. Kyriani Sabbe shared his view on the events.
“We were eager on the ball from the very first minute, and grabbed them by the throat with lots of gusto. And that's how you win the fans, who really pushed us towards that win today.” Club's youth product continued. "A reference game for me personally? Not as such, I always want to grab any chance with both hands. Whether we play Anderlecht or Westerlo... you have to give it 100% time and time again. That's not always that evident as a young player, compared to Club NXT you get to play at a higher level week after week. You have to keep taking steps and try picking up on things as quickly as you can. What's still in store for Club? We just have to keep doing our darndest, and you know anything's possible. A win against Antwerp over the weekend takes us within two points of Union and Anderlecht, taking the pressure to Brussels. But first up on Thursday, we'll be taking on PAOK.” (MV)
Antonio Nusa: "Massive game as a team“
Another invaluable part of the Club machine steamrolling over Anderlecht was our Norwegian youngster Antonio Nusa.
“Two reasons to be happy today: first of all, we grabbed a very deserved win against our arch nemesis from Brussels, and I can also be happy about my own performance. I'm fully fit, and both physically and mentally I'm feeling great, and it goes to show on the pitch. But I don't want to put myself in the spotlights now, we have put in a great game as a team today. There's nothing you can take from this win, and we now have our revenge for that undeserved defeat one month ago, when we lost out in the dying minutes of the game. We suffered too much point loss in the regular league in the final stages of the game. Antwerp, Kortrijk, STVV, Anderlecht … it all lead to unnecessary point loss. But we learned our lessons, and managed to hold on to the result today. Now it's up to us to adhere to the path we have chosen now.” (MV)
Nordin Jackers: “Should have trust in our selection”
With a number of fine saves in the second half, Nordin Jackers definitely also had his share in Club's refreshing 3-1 win against Anderlecht.
“We managed to claim the full loot after those second half goals. But we should remain clear headed about the gap with the two leaders. This has been a vital win, though, in view of next week. Today, we only focused on our own play, not taking into account the other teams. We put in a great performance, even if we missed out on some regulars today. We need to have trust in every single player in our selection. We are all ready to play, and that's what we've shown today. But we need to keep our feet on the ground. We played a fine second half on Monday, and continued along those lines today. A deserved win too. The new wind brought by the new coach is refreshing; he has his idea about football and we try to execute it as well as we can. I'm happy with how things are going. We now need to gear up towards Thursday.”
With 51 games already on the clock, Club now heads towards two European midweek games, battling it out with PAOK. “The high number of games is starting to weigh on the group, but we are striking the right balance during the week. We try to have as many fit players as we can in the weekend, so also on Thursday. In Europe, we can still write a tremendous story, and we all feel like doing so. It's what we are going for.” (KN)
Nicky Hayen: "A game of reference for Club"
Seeing his team reel in the points against Anderlecht clearly pleased coach ad interim Hayen.
"This performance was in line with our second half against Cercle Brugge", Club's interim coach started out. "Only this time, we did not wait for the second half to begin to put in such a great performance. At warm-up, you could feel that the entire stadium was behind us, and things didn't change during the game. Of course that early opener helped, but after that we kept pushing forward and trying to create chances. We were in control of almost the entire gam. Of course I respect the opinion of my colleague, but I do not have to agree with it. I thought we were showing some very good pressing, and brought some dominant football. To me, this has been a game of reference for this Club Brugge, with lots of intensity and fine football. Everyone went for it 100%, and you also saw that, when things were a bit harder in second half, that our audience helped us through those hard times. The fans were just amazing, and I was litterally in goosebumps because of the synergy between fans and players today. It's fair to say that this has been a magical evening. Of course I'm level-headed enough to realise that this cannot be a one-off. It will be crucial to keep bringing that same intensity, time and time again, and it all starts on the training grounds. Every player at Club Brugge has added value, and we just need to try and hold on to this level as long as we can."
In only a smidgen of time, Nicky Hayen has managed to rekindle the fire in this group of players. "I managed to do so by hitting the right chords here and there. Beforehand, I indicated that we would have to play with guts, and should not be afraid to make mistakes. We have to be willing to make those mistakes. We have tried to bring back the competitive stance in this group by means of a number of sessions."
No Vanaken nor Skov Olsen in the selection for today's clash. "We were in a bit of a pickle, that's right, but it's up to us to find the right solutions. We found them today, but that won't always be the case. It just goes to show that our selection is a lot more broad than some people expect. We play so many games, so we really need a broad selection. It also brings competition to the table, and that's a good thing. It's up to us to be making the right decisions."
Onyedika has reclaimed his spot in the Starting XI, and thanked for the trust bestowed upon him with two great goals. "That's right, it's a choice I have made, and we try to give that boy a lot more confidence. He used to be a bit sloppy at times in the build-up, and he will keep making slight errors, but he also should be willing to make those errors. I'm just a pawn within a very competent staff, and we try to support our players as well as we can. Let's hope this can be a great start for Onyedika."
Finally, today's performance made it clear that Club Brugge will not be chosing between the Jupiler Pro League and the UEFA Europa Conference League. "I'm not the type to be claiming the big words here. We just need to take it one game at a time, and we'll see where we land", a confident and realistic coach at interim concluded. (TM)