GAMES Anderlecht came away from Jan Breydel with a 2-2 draw against Club Brugge. Brugge dominated possession, but Anderlecht fashioned slightly more clear chances. Anderlecht took the lead twice — before halftime through De Cat and after the break via Degreef — only for Tresoldi to level both times. The finale was heated: Coosemans and substitute Hey denied defeat in the very last minute.
Anderlecht started with good intentions but had to retreat as Brugge upped the tempo. Early on Tzolis and Tresoldi might have put Brugge ahead, but Anderlecht, struggling in duels and possession, gradually steadied and began to create openings. When a chance finally reached its end product around the half hour, it paid off: De Cat calmly and stylishly placed the ball into the far corner to make it 0-1. Anderlecht seemed capable of building on that, but Brugge soon equalised. Coosemans pushed a Sabbe shot away and the rebound fell kindly to Tresoldi, who tapped in with ease. Just before half-time Degreef was teed up by Hazard but his finish was far too weak.
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Continue reading The second half began cautiously on both sides, until Anderlecht launched a well-worked counter: Degreef profited from a poor touch and slotted past Mignolet into the near corner to make it 1-2. Brugge couldn't immediately force Anderlecht back, yet they kept probing — the visitors forced a number of stops from Mignolet — and a substitute came close to making it 1-3, only for Mignolet to intervene with a smart save.
Brugge piled on the pressure late on, but Anderlecht remained dangerous on the break. Mignolet had to keep out a chance from Stroeykens and from the resulting corner Augustinsson's header struck the post. Despite Anderlecht having the better chances after the break, Tresoldi was the one who struck again: in the 85th minute he was afforded too much space and hammered the ball into the roof of the net to level at 2-2. The final six minutes of stoppage time were a survival test for Anderlecht. In the last minute Coosemans somehow kept Tzolis from making it 3-2, and substitute Hey cleared a ball from an empty goal to secure the draw.
