MADRID: Surprise package Club Brugge booked their place in the Champions League last 16 with a 0-0 draw against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.
The Belgian side are guaranteed to progress from Group B after keeping Diego Simeone’s side at bay in Madrid, and finished the game with 10 men after Kamal Sowah was sent off in the final stages.
Brugge stunned Atletico last week at home with a 2-0 win and although they dropped their first points of the competition at the Metropolitano, still secured qualification for the knock-out rounds.
Goalkeeper Simon Mignolet made a series of impressive saves to deny the likes of Antoine Griezmann and Angel Correa, frustrating the Spanish side, who are on four points from four games, six behind Group C leaders Brugge.
The visitors had the better of the opening stages, with Ferran Jutgla, who shone last week against Atletico, going close.
However, Simeone’s side wrestled their way into the game and Mignolet denied Griezmann at the other end.
Saul Niguez had a goal ruled out for offside against Correa in the build-up, and the Argentine soon fired narrowly wide himself, as Atletico began to dominate.
Brugge thought they had earned a penalty at the end of the first half, but the decision was overturned by VAR, with Tajon Buchanan appearing to step on Nahuel Molina, rather than the reverse.
Correa struck shortly after the interval, but he was offside too, and it was stricken from the records. Brugge’s task of holding on for the point was made harder in the final stages when Sowah was shown a second yellow card for kicking the ball away.
Atletico substitute Joao Felix threw his bib away angrily toward the end of the game when it became apparent Simeone was not planning to bring him on, as tempers frayed.
Correa might have won Atletico the game at the death but Mignolet made another fine save to deny him.
Bayer Leverkusen host Porto in the other Group B game later Wednesday.
Club Brugge earn Atletico draw to reach Champions League knock-outs
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Club Brugge earn Atletico draw to reach Champions League knock-outs
- The Belgian side are guaranteed to progress from Group B after keeping Diego Simeone’s side at bay in Madrid
- Brugge stunned Atletico last week at home with a 2-0 win
Al-Fateh grab second win on the trot, Al-Taawoun keep up pressure in title race
- Al-Fateh win 2 consecutive games for the first time this season and move to 11 points
- Al-Taawoun grab late winner against last-placed Al-Najma to stay within 4 points of Al-Nassr
RIYADH: Matchday 12 of the Saudi Pro League got underway on Monday with Al-Khaleej hosting Al-Fateh in the first of the evening’s three fixtures.
Despite producing a strong display in a 3-2 loss to Al-Hilal last week, Al-Khaleej lost 1-0 to Al-Fateh, with Matias Vargas scoring the decisive goal.
Al-Fateh’s strategy was clear: Moroccan midfielder Sofiane Bendebka would be flanked by Mourad Batna and Vargas in a fluid attacking set-up, allowing him to drift between a second-striker role and deeper midfield positions.
The free-flowing forwards enabled Al-Fateh to take control of the final third, with Batna cutting in from the right flank proving to be a dangerous asset in Al-Fateh’s arsenal.
That combination paid dividends in the 41st minute, when Batna delivered a diagonal ball across the pitch to find Vargas, who calmly chipped the ball over Anthony Moris to open the scoring.
It marked the Argentinian’s fourth goal in three matches, with his recent form directly contributing six points — more than half of Al-Fateh’s total this season.
Al-Khaleej were unable to replicate the same intensity shown against Al-Hilal, despite the introduction of club top scorer Joshua King after the break and Pedro Rebocho’s marauding role down the left.
Their clearest opportunity came in the 68th minute, when Rebocho squared the ball to Giorgos Masouras only for his effort to hit the post.
Al-Fateh then adopted a more cautious approach, looking to exploit Al-Khaleej on the counter. They nearly doubled their lead in the 88th minute when Vargas teed up Bendebka, but the midfielder’s powerful backheel crashed against the woodwork.
The defeat marks a slowdown for Al-Khaleej after an encouraging start to the campaign, with this being their third consecutive loss, now leaving them on just 14 points from 11 matches.
Elsewhere, Al-Hazem travelled to the capital to face Al-Riyadh, securing a 2-1 victory thanks to goals from Nawaf Al-Habashi and Omar Al-Somah.
The Syrian striker netted his 157th Saudi Pro League goal, extending his lead over Abderazzak Hamedallah at the top of the all-time scoring charts and helping Al-Hazem move further clear of the relegation zone.
In Qassim, third-placed Al-Taawoun edged bottom side Al-Najma in a tightly contested encounter. A late strike from Roger Martinez in the 85th minute sealed a 1-0 win, Al-Taawoun’s ninth of the season, keeping them firmly in the title race.
Pericles Chamusca’s side have exceeded expectations with their stellar start to the season. The Wolves move into second with 28 points, two ahead of Al-Hilal in third and two behind league leaders Al-Nassr, with both sides still holding a game in hand.
It marks the best start to a Saudi Pro League season in Al-Taawoun’s history, a run that continues to surprise in a league filled with established stars.
Matchday 12 on Tuesday starts with Al-Ahli vs. Al-Fayha, followed by Al-Ettifaq vs. Al-Nassr and Al-Okhdood vs. Damac later in the evening.
