Hello and welcome everyone! My name is Freddie Potter and I will be taking you through tonight’s 5:45 Champions League clash between Club Brugge and Atalanta with minute-by-minute updates as the game progresses.
We head into this game with Club Brugge barely scraping through on goal difference into the play-off places and with Atalanta just missing out on automatic qualification into the last 16 by a mere point despite some great results like their 2-2 draw with Barcelona.
Here are the lineups for both sides ahead of kick-off:
Club Brugge lineup:
Club Brugge:
22 Simon Mignolet
55 Maxim De Cuyper
44 Brandon Mechele
4 Joel Ordonez
65 Joaquin Seys
15 Raphael Onyedika
30 Ardon Jashari
8 Christos Tzolis
20 Hans Vanaken
68 Chemsdine Talbi
9 Ferran Jutgla
Atalanta lineup:
1′ Kick-off: The game is underway at the Jan Breydelstadion in Brugge with the home supporters bringing an electric atmosphere already tonight.
3′ Atalanta have settled into the game so far controlling possession and setting the tempo despite the racket of the home crowd.
Embed from Getty Images7′ A quick change of pace by Club Brugge and Christos Tzolis drives through the centre of the pitch towards goal but selfishly ends their 3 on 2 counter attack with a tame shot that Rui Patricio easily collects.
8′ Brugge again manage to create another chance out of very little but Tzolis can’t quite get on the end of it.
13′ Stefan Posch commits a clumsy foul on Joaquin Seys.
14′ Chemsdine Talbi plays a wnderful ball through to Tzolis who has been in the thick of it so far tonight but couldn’t get his shot away due to some good defending from Atalanta.
15′ GOALLLLL! Clubb Brugge have been by far the better side the past 10 minutes and now they have the goal they deserve. Talbi finds himself out wide with time and space and puts a good ball into the box which Ferran Jutgla controls wonderfully and smashes it into the top left corner of the goal on the half volley. Patricio stood absolutely no chance.
Embed from Getty Images19′ Posch again commits another foul on Talbi who has been a standout performer for his side so far and now has a freekick in a dangerous position.
21′ Talbi whips a nice ball into the box which no one can quite get under control and the ball eventually gets deflected out for a corner for Brugge.
26′ Club Brugge win another corner with Davide Zappacosta being forced to put in a shift up and down the pitch with Brugge not giving him any time to rest.
Embed from Getty Images27′ Posch finds the ball rolling to him just outside the box and has a pop at goal trying to atone for his recklessness in the defensive third but Simon Mignolet stops the ball with ease and it comes to nothing.
Embed from Getty Images31′ CLOSE EFFORT! Brugge again find themselves on top as Atalanta allow the centre half Joel Ordonez to drive up the pitch and play the ball to Tzolis, who plays a nice ball out wide to Maxim De Cuyper who has time and space but unfortunately for Clubb Brugge, he blasts the ball into the side netting.
Atalanta look lost.
Embed from Getty Images36′ A clash of the captains as Marten de Roon who is looking rather frustrated hacks Hans Vanaken from behind giving away a silly freekick.
40′ The first real defensive mistake for Club Brugge comes from a silly pass from Brandon Mechele which is intercepted and a ball is fed into the Atalanta striker Mateo Retegui who shoots with the outside of the boot but is just wide of the [ost.
41′ GOALLL! WE HAVE AN EQUALISER! The brilliant work rate of Zappacosta pays off for the away side as the Italian, who has looked the only real threat for Atalanta so far, whips a beautiful ball into the box which finds the head of Mario Pasalic who redirects the ball home with a classy header. Game on.
Embed from Getty Images45′ Atalanta are growing in confidence now right before half time and you get the feeling Brugge are panicking just a bit as Tzolis gives away a needless foul on the away side’s captain Marten de Roon.
Half-time: An exciting half of football for us neutrals with Club Brugge dominating the majority of that half forcing Atalanta onto the backfoot much to the surprise of most of us watching. The matchup has certainly not gone as predicted with 24th placed Club Brugge making 9th placed Atalanta look unorganised and lost.
However, with just five minutes left of the first half, Atalanta decide to show up securing an equaliser just minutes before the end of the first half giving them a huge boost going into the second half with belief that they can turn this game around and overturn a seemingly disgruntled Brugge.
Hopefully another exciting 45 minutes to come!
45′ Kick-off: The second half is underway and it is all to play for in Brugge tonight.
48′ The home crowd remains as loud ever which will give their side a boost to get back in front and not fall behind in this matchup.
49′ A good break away from Brugge as De Cuyper brilliantly controls the an upfield pass and plays the ball inside to Tzolis who sprays it wide to Talbi who lets fire but is disappointed with himself as he blasts it well over the bar. Club Brugge don’t seem too phased so far by Atalanta’s late equaliser.
53′ SO CLOSE! A speedy break away led by Talbi who sprints down the wing past two Atalanta defenders and crosses the ball into a dangerous area. The ball bounces around but then falls to De Cuyper who optimistically shoots from the edge of the box and it just narrowly goes wide! A very good effort from the left back.
58′ A strange miscommunication between Patricio and Raoul Bellanova as they both attempt to go for the ball but neither player is successful and the ball goes out for a corner. The late first half momentum for Atlanta seems to have worn off.
65′ SUPER SUB?! Almost an instant impact from the substitute Juan Cuadrado who finds himself out wide with time and crosses the ball into the box which finds the head of Zappacosta whose effort is brilliantly saved by Mignolet to deny the visitors and keep the game level.
65′ Lazar Samardzic almost straight after finds himself 1-on-1 with Mignolet but misplaces the shot and it flies wide of the post. A poor effort considering the circumstances!
An interesting substitution from Nicky Hayen as he takes off Tzolis who has been quite prominent tonight for his side but the gaffer decides he has run his course.
Embed from Getty ImagesA disappointing night for Retegui as he is pulled off early. The Serie A sensation has been Atalanta’s star this season but has had little impact tonight.
76′ The game seems to have come to a standstill with neither team really creating anything meaningful. The crowd are still going strong but you would think one of these two sides will maybe try and push for a winner soon.
83′ Charles de Ketelaere decides to get involved as the ball is played to him just outside the box and his effort at goal forces the save from Mignolet but it was a comfortable height for the keeper and he always had it covered.
85′ Zappacosta recieves the ball on the left flank and cuts in and has a wild pop at goal but the ball flies miles wide abnd the left back fails to challenge the keeper.
That will be his final contribution tonight as he is subbed off shortly after.
90′ An Atalanta corner sees the ball played short and Cuadrado picks it up and cuts inside into the box but his shot sails comfortably into the gloves of Mignolet.
91′ LATE DRAMA! Something out of nothing as Club Brugge counter attack up the pitch and Gustaf Nilsson chases a ball through on goal but the trailing arm of Isak Hien is deemed enough in the eyes of referee Halil Umut Meler to give a penalty. A very, very soft penalty which will definitely be the talking point of controversial officiating/VAR this week.
92′ The ref seems to have lost his control on the game as he dishes out the yellow cards willy-nilly to the Atalanta players.
92′ Yellow card for Cuadrado
92′ Yellow card for Hien
92′ Yellow card for rafael Toloi
94′ AND HE SLOTS IT HOME! VAR looked at the decision but deemed no clear an obvious error and so Nilsson steps up and slots the penalty home with a thumping finish. Penalty or no penalty, The Swedish striker took his chance brilliantly and that surely must be the winner for Brugge now.
Embed from Getty ImagesFull time: The game ends 2-1 to Club Brugge with some very late drama! It was a rollercoaster of a game with Brugge dominating the first half but conceding a late goal to level the game for Atalanta. The game was then at a bit of a stalemate for the majority of the second half with half chances here and there until the controversial penalty decision right at the end of the match to liven the game up just as it’s about to finish.
What a turn of events!
So that’s it from me tonight everyone I hope you have enjoyed my live minute-by-minute coverage of this Champions League fixture and I will catch you all next time.