Yahoo Sports Despite Dortmund defeat, Club Brugge should take confidence from their performance
It was a familiar scoreline for Club Brugge and Dortmund last night. The Bundesliga side won 3-0, as they have done in each of the last match ups between the two sides. However, for 75 minutes, Club Brugge were excellent. The home side had plenty of chances, but their lack of efficiency cost them, as it always does at the highest level.
Despite only having 37% of the ball, something that Club rarely experience domestically, they still managed to fire off 18 shots on the Dortmund goal, one more than their opponents. Hugo Vetlesen should have given them the lead in the first half when he hit the crossbar, and the rest of the side had a number of chances that they just didn’t take. At the highest level of European football, this can be costly.
Dortmund were grateful for super sub Jamie Gittens, who came off the bench to score twice in 22 minutes to seal the game, before Brandon Mechele gifted Dortmund a late penalty to make it the usual 3-0.
Nicky Hayen should certainly take confidence from the performance. The side did not look overawed by their opponents and, when they did get on the ball, had a clear idea of what they wanted to do in order to hurt the Bundesliga side. If Club have any hopes of a prolonged campaign in this new look Champions League, repeating this level of performance is crucial.
They face Sturm Graz away next, one of their easier games and on paper at least one they have to win to have any real hope of making the next round. They also have to face AC Milan (a), Aston Villa (h), Celtic (a), Sporting (h), Juventus (h) and Manchester City (a). It will be a tough ask, with plenty of tricky games. However, if they improve their efficiency and match it to the performance against Dortmund, they will have at least some hope of progressing.
