Anderlecht easily put Club Bruges aside 2-0

Anderlecht had little trouble in holding off Club Bruges. Two goals by Vlcek and Van Damme in the first half handed the home-team a 2-nil victory. The three points give Anderlecht the advantage in the race for second place.


The championship may have been decided but the two teams that split the titles between them over the last decades are still fighting for second place. A direct battle between the rivals will decide who will be granted access to the Champions League qualification rounds.

The home-team was hoping for an early goal and got what it was looking for. While Stijn Stijnen showed his skill in blocking a shot by Biglia and a header by Vlcek, the Bruges goalie had no answer when Vlcek knocked in the opening goal. A Boussoufa center was headed against the post, and the Czech striker was free to put the ball in the netting.

Club Bruges' reaction proved to be one of frustration. Sterchele was booked because of an elbow, and less than half an hour into the game Geraerts was shown a red card for a two-feeted tackle on Boussoufa.

It soon proved to be twice as bitter for Bruges when Van Damme put Anderlecht 2-0 ahead, already the seventh goal of the season for the leftback. The defender headed the ball past Stijnen on a Boussoufa corner. It looked like the brand new centenary shirts gave Anderlecht a boost. The home-team sealed the game in merely 30 minutes.

Bruges coach Mathyssen tried to turn the tide for his side by bringing in Sonck for the invisble Salou and Kucera for the booked Blondel. Jacobs likewise left Wasilewski in the dressing room after an early yellow card. Hassan, who will return to his home country Egypt after the season, was given a chance to say goodbye to the home fans.

The Bruges substitutions did little to change the face of the game. With one extra player on the pitch, Anderlecht easily dominated and created numerous chances while the visiting team could hardly pose a threat. Anderlecht did not succeed, however, in offering its fans a third goal. It was an formidable Stijnen, easily the best Bruges player on the pitch, who kept the home team from doing so.

First the Bruges goalie kept the lively Boussoufa from adding a goal to his record, later he held Vlcek from scoring his second goal of the evening with an excellent save.

Jacobs' men controlled the remainder of the game and cruised toward the finish. The three points handed Anderlecht the upper hand in the race for the second place and the Champions League qualification that comes with it. Anderlecht will need a point in Mons to secure that spot.

Score: 2-0
Goal(s): 16' Stanislav Vlcek, 30' Jelle Van Damme

Anderlecht:Zitka, Deschacht, Gillet, Juhasz, Van Damme, Wasilewski (46' Hassan), Biglia, Boussoufa (89' Goor), Polak, Frutos, Vlcek (76' Jonathan Legear)
Club Brugge:Stijnen, Clement, Klukowski, Priske, Blondel (46' Kucera), Englebert, Geraerts, Leko, Simaeys, Salou (46' Sonck), Sterchele

Yellow: 09' Marcin Wasilewski, 23' François Sterchele, 28' Jonathan Blondel, 52' Brian Priske, 53' Jeroen Simaeys, 64' Wesley Sonck
Red: 26' Karel Geraerts

Referee: Verbist
Stadium: Constant Vanden Stock Stadium