Club Brugge wins on the field of Patro Eisden, advancing to the quarterfinals of the Croky Cup. Read below some post-match reactions from Romeo Vermant, Hans Vanaken and coach Nicky Hayen.
Romeo Vermant: "We score at the right moments"
Romeo Vermant got his chance back in the front of the striker. About the match itself, Vermant was clear: "Job done. The important thing was to keep the tempo high and not fall silent. I think we did that well. We didn't finish all the chances, but scored at the right times.
The young striker did get some opportunities and showed great activity. A real cup game under difficult conditions.
"The field was extremely slippery. Even with the right shoes it was difficult to get a grip. Turning was not evident. But in the end, the most important thing remains that we are through."
Hans Vanaken: "We played well."
With a goal and an assist, captain Vanaken played an important role in Club's qualification for the quarter-finals of the Croky Cup. "We played well, outside of that one phase, and did the right thing. You know it will be a difficult displacement, just look at Charleroi. A difficult opponent, a difficult pitch and a lot of long balls."
Throughout the match, the condition of the pitch didn't get any better: "With this pitch, you can't take risks, best to control, but you definitely have to keep playing soccer at the lead. We had enough chances and deserved to win," said Hans Vanaken.
Patro Eisden's goal came as a result of Nordin Jackers' miscue. "He passed first to Brandon(Mechele) who came inside. He might have already put away with his left, but gives the ball back. Nordin stops the ball and then doesn't get it away. Too bad he hits it the wrong way, but that's where you actually have to bang the ball away and not take any chances. Luckily for him without any harm, because we're going on."
Before the counter-goal, Club was lord and master. "After the counter-goal, we had a bit more difficulty for a while. Their crowd gets behind it, they get the feeling that there is something to grab, but that went down relatively quickly. We can conclude that we had enough chances to win and in the end we still won quite easily," concluded the Blauw-Zwart captain.
Nicky Hayen: "Mission accomplished...no more, no less"
Blauw-Zwart advanced after a 1-3 win against Patro Eisden. Afterwards, Nicky Hayen was therefore a satisfied coach.
"I think we started well in difficult conditions," the Bruges coach began his analysis. "The pitch didn't play 100% in our favor, because it was difficult and you saw that with the counter goal. On the other hand, we were in control and also got into the lead very early. Then we made it difficult for ourselves for a while and then the first half did go evenly. In the second half we came out of the dressing room well and found those pocket goals again. We then score on a stoppage time through Hans(Vanaken). After that we play it out very maturely. The task is accomplished, no more or no less."
At the counter goal, Patro regained some courage. "That's right and that was just a wrong check by Nordin(Jackers). We always try to build from the back. That's the risk we take and that's also partly my responsibility. That's what we ask for and out of 100 times it goes right 99 times and 1 time it fails. Then it's good that you can put it right, so then you also showed your real face there as a team. Consequently, I think we get a deserved win tonight."
Regardless of the pitch, the tempo was often kept high. "That was definitely needed against this opponent. What we asked for, my team tried to execute as well as possible. The first half after the 1-1, the tempo went down a little bit and we had to pick that back up. That's what we did the second half and kept control without folding back. We did go patiently looking for that third goal. When it finally fell, you did have the feeling that it was in," concluded a satisfied Nicky Hayen.