Brugge beat Braga after late comeback

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Brugge beat Braga after late comeback

Club Brugge stunned last term’s Europa League finalists Braga with a 2-1 victory grabbed at the Estadio Municipal. The Belgians were given the win by Akpala and Donk who scored two late goals which propelled Adrie Koster’s side top in Group H.
Barbossa opened the score early in the second term but the hosts could not preserve their advantage but for 20 minutes. Akpala evened the situation amid the second part, while Donk came up with the winner in the last minute of the game. Braga had a better start as Hugo Viana missed a good opportunity in the ninth minute following a lovely action on the right which the midfielder finished with a shot goalwards but straight at keeper Coosemans.
Alan tried his luck with a strike from distance which missed the target. On the other side, Brugge’s first occasion came in the 16^th minute through Vasquez who also missed the goal to the dismay of coach Leonardo Jardim. Vleminckx found the target in the 25^th but it was Quim to make the save and deny the right striker.
Braga got another big chance to score in the 29^th minute when Helder Barbosa finished the action wide. Alan then hit ti goalwards only to be denied by Coosemans. The visitors made an early change as coach Adrie Koster introduced Akpala for Vleminckx in the 32^nd minute. A minute later, Lima missed the target for Braga, while Alan imitated him right afterwards.
Akpala could have put his side into the lead with two minutes left in the first half but the striker struck it wide. Lima had an effort on goal but the scoreboard remained unchanged. The first part finished with Mossoro and Lima’s wide shots.
The second part started with Lima putting more pressure on the visitors’ goal. The striker missed the target in the 46^th minute and saw a second dangerous shot parried away by the keeper. Vazquez also tried his luck with a shot from the edge of the box two minutes later which reached the stands. Helder opened the score in the 53^rd minute following a perfect delivery from Baiano which the Portuguese’s forward headed it home from eight yards past the keeper.
Brugge broke back through Akpala whose shot was denied by Quim in what could have been an early leveler. Refaelov conceded his first yellow card in the 63rtd minute for a trip on scorer Barbosa. Braga then made a change, replacing Mossoro with Leandro. Lima missed the target yet again two minutes later as Braga were chasing for more.
Akpala got another good opportunity in the 70^th minute but the newly introduced missed the target. One minute he found the target, making it 1-1 following a poor defending from Braga who allowed the Belgians’ player to put it home past keeper Quim. Braga repliaed with another change as Nuno Gomes was preferred to scorer Barbosa.
Brugge also made a substitution in the 75^th minute with Refaelov making way for De Jonghe. Lima had another effort on goal in the 80^th minute as Braga were chasing back the leader. Coach Jardim strengthened his offensive with another move which saw Djamal depart for Carlao. Lima missed a golden chance in the 85^th minute, while Club Brugge broke back through De Jonghe who also struck it wide.
Meunier departed for Blondel in the 89^th minute but the unexpected was yet to come for the hosts. With one minute left in the stoppage time, Donk scored the winner for the Belgians following a lovely delivery from Vadis whose cross was headed home by the central defender from nine yards or so.
Brugge won and are now leaders in the group H with six points in two games. Sporting Braga and Birmingham City are three points behind the Belgians, while NK Maribor, who lost 1-2 to the English, are bottom with zero points.
Said Akpala after the game: “Obviously I’m very satisfied with the fact I scored but even more because we got three important points. We knew it was going to be a very tough match so this triumph is even tastier. We’re top of our group and that has to do with the concentration we showed tonight. My goal was a bit weird but in football it doesn’t matter how you score.”
Brugge will next welcome Birmingham City on Jan Breydelstadion on October 20, while Braga travel to Maribor the same day.
Sporting Braga – Quim; Elderson, Ewerton, Baiano, Vinicius; Alan, Djamal, Vlana, Mossoro; Lima, Barbosa. Reserves: F. Merida, Carlao, N. Gomes, T. Berni, E. Imorou, L. Salino, Douglas.
Club Brugge – Coosemans; Hoefkens, Donk, Almeback, Hogli; Meunier, Vazquez, Ofoe, Zimling; Vlemickx, Refaelov. Reserves: J. Maes, J. Vansteenkiste, F. Deschilder, J. De Jonghe, J. Blonderl, J. Akpala, T. Van Acker.

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