Club Brugge saves point against Union after double deficit, Mignolet and Vanaken prevent 3-2 in a great way

Jupiler Pro League – matchday 19 – 22/12/24 – 6:30 PM

Goals

time	icon	player	homeTime	homeIcon	homePlayer	score	awayPlayer	awayIcon	awayTime
goal door Franjo Ivanovic at 45+3', 1 – 0	45+3′		Franjo Ivanovic	45+3′		Franjo Ivanovic	1 – 0
own goal door Casper Nielsen na 59′, 2 – 0	59′		Casper Nielsen	59′		Casper Nielsen	2 – 0
Chemsdine Talbi's goal came from 66', 2 – 1.	66′		Chemsdine Talbi				2 – 1	Chemsdine Talbi		66′
goal by Gustaf Nilsson after 78', 2 – 2	78′		Gustaf Nilsson				2 – 2	Gustaf Nilsson		78′

No fifth win in a row for Club, but a point against Union. A draw that Blue-Black would undoubtedly have signed for on the hour mark, when the score was 2-0. Substitute Talbi's tying goal provided hope. Afterwards, Nilsson made it 2-2 against his ex-club. In minute 95 the home team came very close to a winning goal. Mignolet first made a great save and got some help from Vanaken on the line.

Union – Club Brugge in a nutshell:

1. Key moment

   Just before the final whistle, Union comes very close to three points on a corner kick. Machida heads towards goal and Burgess can extend the ball with his shoulder from close range, but Mignolet makes a great reflex. Vanaken jumps in to assist his goalkeeper and takes the ball off the line with his knee.

2. Man of the match

   Christos Tzolis played a decisive role in Club Brugge's return after the 2-0 deficit. With a clear view, he presented the recently substituted Talbi with the tying goal and his questionable free kick (where he may have hit the ball twice) was the basis of Nilsson's equalizer.

3. Remarkable

   No Loïc Lapoussin at Union. The prodigal son who was referred to the B team last summer was successfully retrieved last month. But now the Malagasy has fallen from favor again. According to trainer Pocognoli, Lapoussin was missing for disciplinary reasons.

Talk about a thrilling ending. Union almost took full advantage deep into extra time, but that was without Mignolet and Vanaken. Burgess was able to extend Machida's header from close range on a corner, but collided with a wonderful reflex from Mignolet. Vanaken then saved the ball on the line.

So it's a shame for Union, especially because the home team had already given away a 2-0 lead. Shortly before half-time, Union struck mercilessly in transition after a clumsy free kick from Seys. Ivanovic started an impressive rush in his own half and finished it off wonderfully at full speed with a crossed shot.

The lead was not stolen, as Club Brugge had already escaped the 1-0 a few minutes earlier. Ivanovic was also the shooter after a well-constructed attack, but a miracle save from Mignolet kept Club afloat.

There were few highlights in a lackluster first half, in which Union started eagerly and Club gradually took over command. Yet the visitors could only threaten with long shots from Vanaken, which always found Moris in his way.

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Even after the break, Club remained below its level and, moreover, things were disappointing. On the hour mark, David was suddenly able to lash out after Mechele's unfortunate slippage. Mignolet made the save, but the ball bounced into the goal via Nielsen. 2-0, Union's sandwich seemed fried.

But Club did not give up the fight. Tzolis initially cursed when he was not awarded a penalty, but a few minutes later the Greek scored the tying goal. Talbi had barely been on the field for a minute when he aimed the ball into the goal on a pass from Tzolis.

Fifteen minutes before the end, Tzolis claimed a leading role again. The striker slipped away during a free kick, but still got the ball to Jutgla, whether legally or not. Moris was able to parry a wonderful back heel from the Catalan, but had no chance against Nilsson's return.

The Swede was merciless against his former club and Union saw a 2-0 lead completely melt away. It almost kept the three points in the Dudenpark, so Mignolet and Vanaken decided differently. Due to the loss of points, Club sees leader Racing Genk again lose two points.

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• Nicky Hayen (trainer Club Brugge): “If you fall behind 2-0 at Union, you know that you are in a very difficult position. If you then make a very good comeback, then you can be satisfied afterwards. After the 2-0 we intervened and that turned out well and we took the upper hand. In the end you had a very open match in which the ball could have fallen well for both them and us. I think a draw is the right result we conceded those goals We should have made a professional mistake on that first goal. The second goal was also too easy. Our organization was good, we gave away very few chances The blame is that we did not bring the game of the last half hour from the start.”
• Sébastien Pocognoli (Union trainer): “We created chances and scored, Club did too. Mignolet made two nice saves, Moris too. So we have to be happy with a point. We started according to our principles, by putting a lot of pressure. Club responded by sending Mechele to the middle, but we adapted well and maintained our style of play. It was a great game. That's just how it is have enough quality in the core to go to Ghent.”
• Noah Sadiki (Union): “Whether the 2-2 is a correct result? Yes and no. Yes, because we were a bit sloppy again in the first fifteen minutes in the second half. But also no, because I think the second goal could also have been avoided. Tzolis took that free kick in two times, so I don't think it was a valid goal. But they say they don't see anything on the images. The problem is that we think a bit too offensively we have to walk back and there are too many spaces After that tying goal you knew that Club was going to push on. We have played against Club four times this season and have not lost once, but we have only won once. We cannot be so happy with not losing three times, we have to aim more to win three times.”
• Gustaf Nilsson (Club Brugge): “It was an intense match. We made up for a 2-0 deficit, this is a good point for us. In the first half it was a fierce battle. After half-time they scored a second time and then we had to come. With two strikers we were able to increase the pressure. We scored quite quickly after the changes and then I should have scored a second time, so that was frustrating. We played some good football in the second half It's just a shame that we have to give them one gave us a 2-0 lead.”