Ghent, Belgium, 30 August (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – KAA Gent defeated Club Brugge 2-1 in the Slag om Vlaanderen on Sunday after a Carlos Forbs red card left the Belgian champions playing with ten men for the final 20 minutes at the Planet Group Arena.
Josué Vergara put Gent ahead in the 39th minute, finishing a move created by Tiago Araújo. Club responded almost immediately, with captain Hans Vanaken converting Forbs’ low delivery to make it 1-1 before half-time.
The result ended Club Brugge’s perfect start to the new Jupiler Pro League campaign. Ivan Leko’s side had taken nine points from their opening three league matches without conceding a goal, while Gent had also won both of their previous league fixtures.
Why Forbs’ red card changed the match
The decisive incident arrived in the 70th minute when Forbs became involved with Gent defender Siebe Van der Heyden. After contact between the pair, the Club Brugge winger reacted by pushing Van der Heyden in the chest.
Referee Erik Lambrechts showed Forbs a straight red card, reducing the visitors to ten players. The decision generated debate, with reports describing the dismissal as controversial, but Forbs’ reaction gave the referee a decision to make at a crucial stage of the match.
Club had enjoyed significant spells of possession but struggled to turn that control into enough clear chances. The numerical disadvantage then allowed Gent greater opportunity to attack during the closing stages.
Five minutes from normal time, substitute Ibrahima Cissé delivered the decisive blow. Matties Volckaert supplied the ball from the right and Cissé finished to put Rik De Mil’s side 2-1 ahead.
There was further drama in stoppage time when Cissé was himself sent off, meaning both teams finished the contest with ten men. Club striker Romeo Vermant also had a late opportunity to equalise but sent his volley over the target.
Leko admits Club Brugge lacked a cutting edge
Club Brugge coach Ivan Leko acknowledged after the defeat that his side had failed to make its periods of control count. Club’s official post-match reaction quoted him saying the team had shown “too little killer instinct.”
The Croatian had already recognised the difficulty of the fixture before kick-off, describing the meeting with Gent as a major match and noting the confidence the Buffaloes had gained from their European campaign.
For Gent, the victory carries added significance because of their recent record against Club Brugge. Before Sunday’s fixture, Club had gone seven league meetings without losing to Gent, including 2-0 and 5-0 victories during the closing months of last season.
What the result means for Gent and Club Brugge
The victory maintains Gent’s perfect league start and gives De Mil’s team an important early-season result against the reigning champions.
For Club Brugge, the defeat is their first dropped points of the league campaign and puts additional attention on discipline following the Carlos Forbs red card. Leko must now prepare his side to respond after a match in which their promising start was undermined by a costly second-half dismissal.
The consequences of Forbs’ sending-off will depend on the applicable disciplinary process, while both clubs will turn their attention to their next confirmed fixtures as the early Jupiler Pro League standings begin to take shape.
