Club Brugge vs Manchester United. UEFA Europa League Knockout Play-offs.
Jan BreydelAttendance27,006.
Match report as United extend their unbeaten run to five matches with hard-fought draw during deluge in Bruges
Friday 21 February 2020 10:04, UK
Anthony Martial pounced on a mistake to ensure Manchester United take an away goal into the second leg of their Europa League last-32 tie with Club Brugge following a 1-1 draw on Thursday night.
The Belgian side worked tirelessly throughout and deserved their 15th-minute lead when Dennis Bonaventure lobbed the onrushing Sergio Romero direct from Simon Mignolet's goal-kick.
But Martial restored parity after an error from Brandon Mechele 16 minutes later with a composed finish beyond the former Liverpool goalkeeper.
The lively Bonaventure forced Romero into two saves from an acute angle while Odilon Kossounou squandered another fine chance as United extended their unbeaten run to five games.
Club Brugge head coach Philippe Clement, who played under Gordon Strachan for Coventry City during the late 1990s, said his side would require "a miracle" to advance from the tie - but it was the hosts who made the better start.
The 45-year-old felt his side ought to have been awarded a very early penalty when Romero challenged Bonaventure inside the box but referee Aleksei Kulbakov was unmoved.
The Belgians, who were eliminated from the Europa League at this stage last season, then very nearly took a third-minute lead as after Luke Shaw switched off from a throw-in, Bonaventure saw his effort blocked by Victor Lindelof before Nemanja Matic hacked the ball to safety under pressure from Hans Vanaken.
It has been several decades since Club Brugge were considered among the continent's elite, but the partisan home crowd were celebrating a contentious opener on the quarter-hour mark.
Moments after Mignolet had denied Andreas Pereira with a fine fingertip save, United felt they ought to have had a second successive corner when Matic's effort was deflected wide. Referee Alexei Kulbakov awarded a goal-kick which replays showed was allowed to be taken despite a moving ball, and United paid the ultimate price.
Bonaventure - who scored twice against Real Madrid earlier this season - latched onto the long ball to lift his shot over the scampering Romero.
It was the first goal United had conceded in 408 minutes following four clean sheets and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side were very nearly breached a second time three minutes later as Mats Rits dragged his shot from inside the box wide.
Bonaventure was proving a real nuisance to the United defence as just shy of the half-hour mark, he shrugged off the returning Diogo Dalot down the Brugge left before finding the legs of Romero at his near post.
United would make full use of their reprieve, but in fortuitous circumstances. There appeared very little danger as the debutant Maxim De Cuyper prepared to take a throw-in. Having picked out Mechele, the Brugge centre-back allowed the ball to run across his body, but Martial nipped in to take possession, run clear and fire beyond Mignolet.
It was back in September 2015 when Martial, then a precocious 19-year-old famously scored beyond Mignolet to settle a contest against Liverpool. Some things never change.
The torrential rain that lashed around the Jan Breydel Stadion subsided in the second period, and both sides had chances to earn a slender lead heading into the second leg next Thursday at Old Trafford.
Kossounou's sloppy pass allowed Juan Mata to set up Martial down the left channel, and his cross was very nearly deflected into his own net by Clinton Mata just four minutes into the restart.
Bonaventure was next to go close moments later as he was too quick and powerful for Shaw down the left, but again the acute angle got the better of him as his shot was kept out by Romero.
A raft of substitutions, including a second United appearance for Odion Ighalo, interrupted the flow of the second period, but Brugge still had a glorious chance to pinch a memorable win as Bonaventure's cross was scuffed wide by Kossounou as United claimed a creditable draw from a below-par display.
Club Brugge boss Philippe Clement on early penalty incident: "For me, it's a clear penalty. In some countries it's a red card, I don't know how you see it in England. If you go with two feet against the leg of somebody, it's a red card.
"For a team like Brugge to beat Manchester United, you need circumstances to go your way, and it didn't go our way."
Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: "They were difficult conditions out there. It was almost like an AstroTurf. The ball was very quick and lively.
"Anything could have happened so I'm pleased we got the away goal. Anthony was very composed with his finish, but we know we can play better."
The Club Brugge forward is developing a reputation as a big-game player having given Real Madrid an almighty scare at the Bernabeu with two goals in October, and he might well have had a hat-trick against a recently-improved United rearguard.
The 22-year-old was linked with a move to the Premier League in January, and his price will have risen following another vibrant display against one of Europe's elite clubs.
The eyes of Nigeria were once more trained on the Manchester United dugout in anticipation for Ighalo's introduction in the second period, but it was his countryman Bonaventure who was the standout performer, very nearly providing Kossounou with a late winner.
Manchester United face Watford at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday; kick-off is at 2pm. The return leg against Club Brugge is next Thursday at 8pm.
