Club got set up with quite the match-up on Match Day 28, with the away at AA Gent. The Planet Group Arena was the venue for the so-called ‘Battle for Flanders’, with Club reaching out for the win after a first half Jutglà goal and several opportunities to double the lead, but in added time, Club conceded the equaliser through Vanzeir.
After Club's sorrrowful defeat at the hands of Standard de Liège last weekend, coach Hayen was forced to reshuffle his team for the trip to KAA Gent. A suspended Tzolis and an injured Onyedika gave way in midfield for Siquet and Nilsson, pushing Jutglà to the wing. With Roef out injured, Vandenberghe took up his place between the posts for the hosts.
A fiery home side took matters in hand, pushing Club back without creating too many chances. The first real threat of the game came on the other side of the pitch, as Siquet pulled back well to find Jutglà trying his luck immediately, but the attempt went past Vandenberghe's goal. Ghent reacted through Delorge, but Mechele flew in front of the ball, allowing Mignolet to pick it up easily. The game more in balance by now, Talbi was sent deep well, beating Vandenberghe to the ball, but unfortunately Torunarigha reacted swifter than Nilsson to deny the Swede a chance. Fine forward pressure resulted in the next chance for KAA Gent, the ball coming to Araújo with a surprise effort, but Club's goalie again stood his ground without too much fuss.
The most promising chance came halfway through, as a cross ended up with Vanzeir by the far post, taking it in the turn, but Mignolet had a fine foot reflex in store to deny that opening goal, which followed straight after: Vanaken with the ball wide to Siquet, pulling back towards the penalty spot to find Jutglà who put it past a hapless Vandenberghe with a shot ricocheting off his shin. The goal was peppered with a boost for the visitors, who now managed to take control of the game, and one more chance followed as Talbi delivered a great cross inside the box to find Nilsson, who came in front of his man well, but his effort lacked that perfect touch allowing Vandenberghe to come to the rescue.
The second half saw one change to Club's 11, as Vetlesen manned the pitch at the expense of Siquet. Whereas most would have expected the hosts to take a thunderous start, it was Club that took a firm grasp on the game, trying to create more danger through Talbi. The youngster again produced one of those fine crosses begging to be sent home by Nilsson, but this time Watanabe got in the way converting it into a corner kick, which also resulted in more danger, as Jashari headed on towards the far post to find Ordóñez finding Vandenberghe on his way. Sixty minutes in, De Cuyper was happy to see Goore not making the most of his bad pass back, and a minute later Nilsson was pulled down on his way to goal, but the ref waved play on, seeing Vanaken push through and teeing up Talbi, but the Morroccan aimed it wide. And another chance for Club's man-in-form would soon follow, beating Brown to the ball after a great cross by Jashari, but the ball met with the crossbar in what looked like a definite 0-2. To say that KAA Gent was nowhere was not true, as a sharp cross by Vanzeir was napped away before Ito could do more damage.
A little past the halfway mark, Jutglà was sent deep by Vanaken and the Catalan seemed underway to complete his brace, lobbing Vandenberghe, but the Buffalo goalie saw through those mind games. Club kept coming, but Vandenberghe also stood ground as Skóraś cut it in front hard to try and find Nilsson, but the goalie anticipated well.
Five minutes of added time came with quite some drama. An industrious Sonko headed for the goal line, making his way past Sabbe and Skóraś to find Vanzeir in front of goal to tap in the equaliser. The game could have taken an even more dramatic turn, but Goore couldn't get the ball past Mignolet in two times, and Sonko also couldn't make it past the Club goalie in the rebound. An unrewarded dominant second half, ending in a 1-1 draw at the Planet Group Arena was all that was left for Club.
Jupiler Pro League – Match Day 28
Audience: 20,185 – Planet Group Arena
Ref: Mr. Jan Boterberg
KAA Gent: Tom Vandenberghe – Matisse Samoise, Tsuyoshi Watanabe (83’ Aimé Omgba), Jordan Torunarigha, Archie Brown (83’ Gilles De Meyer) – Tiago Araújo (58’ Momodou Lamin Sonko), Leonardo Lopes, Mathias Delorge (72’ Sven Kums), Atsuki Ito – Dante Vanzeir, Andri Gudjohnsen (58’ Hyllarion Goore).
Bench: Célestin De Schrevel, Samuel Kotto, Aimé Omgba, Momodou Lamin Sonko, Franck Surdez, Sven Kums, Tibe De Vlieger, Gilles De Meyer, Hyllarion Goore.
Coach: Danijel Milićević.
Club Brugge: Simon Mignolet – Joaquin Seys (78’ Kyriani Sabbe), Joel Ordóñez, Brandon Mechele, Maxim De Cuyper – Hugo Siquet (46’ Hugo Vetlesen), Ardon Jashari, Hans Vanaken – Chemsdine Talbi (72’ Michał Skóraś), Gustaf Nilsson, Ferran Jutglà.
Bench: Nordin Jackers, Axl De Corte, Zaid Romero, Kyriani Sabbe, Jorne Spileers, Hugo Vetlesen, Casper Nielsen, Michał Skóraś, Romeo Vermant, Shandre Campbell.
Coach: Nicky Hayen.
Yellow: Brown, Talbi, Torunarigha
Red: none
Goals: 29’ Jutglà (0-1), 90+2’ Vanzeir (1-1)