Club Brugge began their 2020-21 Champions League crusade with a 2-1 win over Zenit St.
Goals from Nigeria’s Emmanuel Dennis and Charles De Ketelaere scored as Philippe Clement’s men silenced the Russian Premier League champions at the Krestovsky Stadium.
The Belgians entered the attack without goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, Ivory Coast goalkeeper Odilon Kossounou and Michael Krmencik, who were removed after hiring Covid-19, while Simon Deli could not be held for sanction.
In a tight first part that saw Dennis, Mats Rits, Clinton Mata being admonished through referee Benoit Bastien, any of the groups can locate the network as they took a cautious approach.
Club Brugge’s first scoring chance came in the 30th minute when Dennis discovered his way to the hosts’ purpose area, but he may not locate De Ketelaere, who hopes to place the ball in an empty net.
In the middle of the moment, Zenit came out more powerful with Argentine Sebastian Driussi watching his luck in the goal. Moments later, a shot by Federico Ricca needed to save Sardar Azmoun from the urgency of the cause at point-blank range.
The Belgians advanced in the 63rd minute after a blocked shot by Dennis De Ketelaere to pass the ball past goalkeeper Mikhail Kerzhakov.
Eleven minutes later, Zenit tied when Dejan Lovren’s shot hit the pole before bouncing off goalkeeper Ethan Horvath to surf the net.
While the attack was on the way to a winner’s pass, with no goals defeated, De Ketelaere had the final say with an effort at the last minute thanks to the help of Captain Ruud Vormer.
The Angolan alien Mata in the parade from start to finish, while Dennis, who has now scored five goals in the Champions League, replaced Senegalese striker Youssouph Badji in the 82nd minute and Noa Lang replaced Krepin Diatta in the 77th minute.
Thanks to this result, Clement’s team leads Group F pending the result of the other draw between Lazio and Borussia Dortmund.
Club Brugge receives Lazio at Jan Breydel Stadium in their next match, before that, going to OH Leuven for their next league match.
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