Comedy capers by the sea: efficient Club Brugge wins at KV Oostende (1-3) after two major blunders

It’s called a real regional derby. For Club Brugge, the short trip to KV Oostende is always one with the necessary enthusiasm – and hundreds of blue-black supporters in the home zones. Fortunately for them, the ride only lasted about 20 minutes: they didn’t get to see a flashy Club, without a substitute Lang. Goals did, but that was entirely the responsibility of the blundering home defence. The first chance was for Gueye – the Senegalese hit the wrong side of the post – but the 0-1 fell for Club. McGeehan headed backwards and lost his own defense, leaving Adamyan alone on Scherpen. He also collided with Jäkel, leaving the Armenian to blow inside.

Laughable, do you think? Then you hadn’t seen the 1-2 yet. First, Jäkel was able to make up for his worse intervention at the opening goal with a well-aimed equalizer (1-1) where Mignolet was not free, but KVO then rolled out the red carpet again. Scherpen missed his control and Adamyan nibbled the ball childishly, to tap in his second of the evening. The Ostend goalkeeper buried his face in his gloves: what would they think of that at parent club Brighton & Hove Albion? Meanwhile, Guillaume Hubert, first choice by the sea for one and a half seasons, was sitting quietly on the couch. He thought his own.

Ball Day

Three goals before half time, but had we seen good football? Not at all. Club Brugge played below par, with far too little inspiration and determination. Ostend was at least equal, but shot itself in the foot. The game image hardly changed after the break, because comedy capers aan zee continued. KV Oostende almost even managed a third laugh when Urhoghide played back from the wrong side of Scherpen: the goalkeeper had to slide the ball out of the goal in extremis. But the 1-3 came anyway. De Ketelaere released Skov Olsen nicely, and his cross went through Scherpen’s legs. You have those days…

With a bonus of two goals, they were quite comfortable at Club Brugge: the match rippled to the end, while KV Oostende no longer found the courage to try anything else. However, there was still some venom in the tail. Lang immediately brightened up his substitution with a long rush and bang against the post and a beautiful ball on Rits, who also hit the stake. In stoppage time Lang was allowed to go to Scherpen alone, but again it didn’t work out.

The fourth goal was not scored, but the three points were already in for Club. Not a spectacular performance by the sea, but 15 out of 15 and a gap with Union that can still be closed. At KV Oostende, the rescue was already 99 percent certain, where the Kustboys can finish their last three games of the season without stress.