17:42 Good evening and welcome to the fifth knockout playoff match of this season’s revamped Champions League. My name is Cameron Vaziri and I’ll be guiding you through this first league match in Belgium as it happens.
17:43 Here are the two line-ups:
17:45 KICK OFF: We’re underway at the Jan Breydel Stadium.
Embed from Getty Images17:52 7′ First attempt at goal for the Belgian side as Christos Tzolis has a right footed shot saved from outside the box from a Ferran Jutglà through ball.
Embed from Getty Images17:52 7′ Atlanta’s Charles De Ketelaere is caught offside.
17:59 15′ GOALLLL! A DESERVED LEAD! The underdogs take the lead in this tie. More atrocious defending from Atalanta sees Talbi nick the ball off Posch, race down the right flank and find Ferran Jutglà. The striker controls the ball inside the area before firing in an effort past Patricio! A very good start by the Belgian side and the Europa League winners of last season are already up against it. 1-0.
18:02 18′ A chance for Atalanta as Mateo Retegui’s attempt from a central area is high and wide to the left.
18:14 30′ CHANCE for 2-0! More pressure from Club Brugge on the edge of the area sees the ball find Maxim De Cuyper inside the area of the left. Opting not to pass to any of his teammates, he flashes an effort against the side netting. That seemed to be the wrong option and could come back to haunt the home side. They can’t keep squandering these chances.
18:17 33′ The pressing in the first phase from the Belgian’s isn’t allowing Atalanta to move the ball up the pitch. It’s been such a well-coached and positive start from the Blauw-Zwart.
18:19 35′ Club Brugge have won two matches, lost once and drawn once after taking the lead in the Champions League this season. How will that record change this evening?
18:21 37′ The away side are starting to move the ball with some purpose now, creeping into the Club Brugge half. This pressure is halted somewhat as Mignolet claims a weak cross from Bellanova.
Embed from Getty Images18:23 39′ Bellanova struggles to reach a lofted cross from Zappacosta down the left. The wing-back then voices his frustration with the lack of quality from his teammate.
18:24 40′ FIRST BIG CHANCE FOR ATALANTA! Club Brugge are surprisingly slack in possession, leading to De Roon finding Retegui inside the area but, after controlling the pass, he toe pokes the effort just woide of the goal.
18:26 41′ GOALLL!!!!!! ATALANTA EQUALISE! They’ve upped the tempo in the last few minutes and get their reward! It’s a fairly simple goal as De Ketelaere plays the ball to Zappacosta to cross from the left and his fine delivery is met by Pašalić, whose fine header finds the corner of the net! 1-1.
18:27 42′ Atalanta have scored five goals in the last 15 minutes of the first half, only PSV with six have scored more in this season’s competition.
18:30 45′ An additional one minute will be played.
18:31 45’+1 HALF-TIME: CLUB BRUGGE 1-1 ATALANTA
These two sides are level pegging at half-time of their first leg play-off clash. The home side have dominated large parts of the match and went in front through a fine finish from Jutglà after good work down the right from Talbi. Nevertheless, the Italian side have slowly found their rhythm as the half progressed, leading to them ending the first 45 strongly and equalising with Pasalic on the end of Zappacosta’s fine cross with a guided header.
18:46 BACK UNDERWAY: No changes for either side
18:49 48′ Neither side have taken the early iniative in the first few minutes of the half, with both just looking to ease themselves into a vital half which could define the two-legged affair as a whole.
18:50 49′ The first attack comes from the home side with Tzolis finding Talbi on the right. The youngster cuts in and tries to bend a shot at goal with his weaker foot but flies high and wide.
18:51 50′ Some neat and intricate play from the Belgian’s opens up some room for Vanaken inside the area but he opts to cut the ball back instead of having an effort on goal, with Atalanta able to snuff out the danger, he should have perhaps had a shot in that instance.
18:53 52′ CLOSE! More pressure from the home side see Talbi race face Zappacosta and whip in a fabulous cross which Atalanta barely deal with, as the ball falls to De Cuyper just outside the area but his well-struck effort flies just inches away from the far corner. Agonisingly close to a second for the hosts.
18:56 55′ Tabli races through the centre from the right flank, opening up some space, but his shot from 18-yards out is straight at the goalkeeper. He’s been a constant threat since the beginning of the match and the home fans are sounding their appreciation of a fine performance.
18:59 58′ Jashiri’s dangerous pass forward leads to a mix-up in communication between Bellanova and Patricio when it comes to clearing the ball, with the wing-back failing to control it properly and conceding a corner. Fortunately for Atalanta, the dangerous delivery fails to meet anyone in Club Brugge colours and goes out for a goal-kick.
19:01 60′ In a similar fashion to the first half, Atalanta haven’t really got going in the second 45. They’ve struggled to regain possession and when they do have the ball, they’re under constant pressure from the ferocity of the Club Brugge press.
19:03 62′
19:05 64′ CHANCE! Unexpectedly, Atalanta are nearly in front! Cuadrado and Posch combine down the right, with the Ecuadorian’s cross met at the back post by Zappacosta but Mignolet keeps him at bay with a fine close-range save.
19:06 65′ AN EVEN BETTER CHANCE! The substitutions are having the desired effect! Some fine short-passing puts Samardžić clean through but, with the goal at his mercy, he curls the effort wide! Huge miss!
19:08 67′ Jutglà does brilliantly to shrug off the challenge of Posch and race towards goal from the left side of the penalty area but his cut back is dealt with by Atalanta.
19:10 70′ More substitutes: Brugge’s Tzolis comes off from Gustaf Nilsson and another double change for Atalanta as Posch and Retegui come off for Toloi and Brescianini.
https://twitter.com/ClubBrugge/status/1889754247010357393/photo/1
19:12 72′ Despite that burst from Atalanta, which included the two opportunities, Club Brugge have managed to retrieve some of the momentum from earlier in the second half. They look the likelier to create something as we enter the final 20 minutes of normal time.
19:14 74′ The winner of this tie will face either Lille or Aston Villa in the round of 16, which begin in March. Club Brugge did beat the side from England in the league phase of the competition and have shown their quality on numerous occasions tonight.
19:22 77′ Neither side have threatened in the last five minutes, with Atalanta seemingly settling for a draw with the second leg in Bergamo still to come next week. Club Brugge are still probing with the ball but struggling to create an opening from either the flanks or through the centre.
19:24 79′ Mignolet gestures to his defenders to take their time with the ball, with the veteran looking to take the sting out of the game and go long instead.
19:26 81′ GOOD SAVE! De Ketelaere has barely been in the match but finds a yard of space from outside the area and strikes an effort at goal which Mignolet parries away for a corner. The danger passes as Club Brugge manage to clear their lines. Despite being second-best at various points, it can’t be argued that Atalanta have fashioned the better chances tonight.
19:27 84′
Buoyed by that chance, it’s the Italian side that are creating late pressure, with Club Brugge stuck in their own half and having to stem the tide of sustained possession from Gasperini’s men. Zappacosta inverts from the left and strikes an effort but the finish is well wide of goal.
19:29 86′ Atalanta substitute as Marco Palestra comes on for Davide Zappacosta. Brugge make two of their own as Talbi and Jutgla come off for Hugo Vetlesen and Hugo Siquet.
19:32 88′ Despite a fine performance, it seems like Club Brugge have run out of steam. It has been 30 minutes since they last attempted a shot in this game. Atalanta are on the attack in the final minutes as Cuadrado directs an effort straight at Mignolet, who easily claims.
19:33 90′ There will be three minutes of added time.
19:34 90’+1 PENALTY TO CLUB BRUGGE IN THE FINAL MINUTES! Nilsson goes down inside the area after Hien connects with a flailing arm! The Atalanta players are furious but VAR confirms the decision!
19:35 90’+2 THREE YELLOWS CARDS! The Italians complain about the penalty and in amongst all of that Juan Cuadrado, Isak Hien and Rafael Toloi are all booked for their protestations. Atalanta seems to have all lost their heads!
19:37 90’+4 GOOALLLL!!!! Nilsson won the penalty and he now gets the all-important winner from the spot! He sends Patricio the wrong way with a well-struck effort! Late drama to end an enthralling first leg. Club Brugge 2-1 Atalanta.
19:40 90’+5 FULL-TIME: CLUB BRUGGE 2-1 ATALANTA