In a dramatic Champions League encounter, Club Brugge secured a vital 2-1 win over Sporting CP, coming from behind to extend their unbeaten run. Despite Sporting CP's fast start and an early lead, Club Brugge showed resilience to snatch all three points at home.
Sporting CP made the perfect beginning to the match, taking the lead in the third minute. After an initial effort from Quenda struck the post, the ball fell kindly to the feet of Catamo, who converted the rebound to put the visitors 1-0 ahead. It was a dream start for Sporting, who dominated possession early on, but struggled to capitalize on their control.
Club Brugge responded positively, and after 24 minutes, they found an equalizer in an unexpected fashion. A shot from Club Brugge’s Tzolis was diverted into his own net by Sporting defender Ricardo Quaresma, sending the game back to square one.
Sporting thought they had a chance to regain the lead just moments later when referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz awarded a penalty following a challenge from Club Brugge’s Skov Olsen on Trincao. However, after a VAR review, it was determined that the foul occurred just outside the penalty area, and the referee overturned his decision, awarding a free-kick instead.
The game remained tightly contested, with Sporting controlling possession but failing to convert their dominance into clear-cut chances. Club Brugge, meanwhile, looked dangerous on the counter-attack and created several opportunities to get ahead.
The decisive moment came in the 71st minute when substitute Andreas Nielsen marked his arrival with a calm finish. Just two minutes after coming on, Nielsen found the back of the net, lifting Club Brugge into a 2-1 lead. Despite late pressure from Sporting, the Belgian side held firm and secured a vital win.
Though Sporting CP generated a higher expected goals (xG) of 1.15 compared to Club Brugge's 0.71, their inability to finish their chances continued to haunt them. This defeat marks their fourth consecutive loss in all competitions, leaving the Portuguese side struggling in 12th place in the league, as they continue to adjust after the departure of manager Ruben Amorim.
For Club Brugge, the victory keeps their unbeaten streak alive as they sit just behind the top spots in the Belgian Pro League. With momentum on their side, they will look to build on this win as they prepare for a crucial clash with Genk in the upcoming weekend.
As for Sporting CP, they now face an important challenge in the Primeira Liga, where they will host Boavista in a bid to get back to winning ways and reverse their poor recent form.
Next Fixtures:
- Sporting CP vs Boavista (Primeira Liga) – Saturday
- Club Brugge vs Genk (Belgian Pro League) – Saturday
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