Club Brugge v Juventus - Matchday 1b UCL Group A (Review)

[soccerates]

Jan Breydel Stadion, Brugge

Referee: Luis Medina Cantalejo (Spain)

Lineups (Courtesy UEFA.COM)

Brugge

23 Stijnen
2 De Cock
3 Vermant
4 Valgaeren
8 Englebert
10 Balaban
15 Spilar
22 Portillo
26 Maertens
32 Vanaudenaerde
34 Yulu-Matondo

Juventus

32 Abbiati
4 Vieira
6 Robert Kovac
8 Emerson
9 Ibrahimovic
11 Nedved
16 Camoranesi
17 Trezeguet
19 Zambrotta
20 Blasi
28 Cannavaro

2'
First Half just started as one of the favourites travel to Belgium to begin their Road to Paris and the Champions League final in May. Brugge has been hurt badly by injuries, but I'm not convinced that a full-strength Brugge would be competitive with the Italian giants anyhow.

{And Giants they were...completely dominating pretty much the whole game, rarely allowing Brugge to penetrate into their end.}

15'
All one-way traffic so far as Juventus is coming after the Belgians in waves, creating half-chance after chance after half-chance. One senses the opening goal is coming soon and will inevitably be for Juventus. Brugge has rarely maintained any sort of possession in the Juventus half and so far are really only clearing the ball to safety before awaiting the next Juventus attack.

34'
Juventus is still on top in the match, but Brugge have started to
settle a bit and are starting to hold possession and create the odd chance
or two. Juventus is creating most of their chances from open play, while
Brugge is managing to create most of theirs from set pieces. The opening
goal is not looking quite as inevitable as it did 15-20 minutes ago.

45'
A better final 5-10 minutes from Juventus has them very clearly on
top at the Jan Breydel Stadion. Blasi has been quite effective for Juventus
on the right wing, swinging some dangerous balls into the area - including
one that Trezeguet smacked off the junction of the crossbar and the right
post in the 37th minute and another one that forced a great save from
Stijnen right before halftime. Ibrahimovic and Nedved also had chances
earlier in the half, while Brugge have had maybe 2 or 3 chances of their own
during the half. Stijnen has been outstanding in this half, otherwise it
could easily be 3-0 or 4-0 or 5-0 at the half.

58'
The second half has started much the same as how the first half
ended with Juventus all over Brugge. Ibrahimovic just showed some nice
skill in winning a ball near the left corner, dribbled into the area and
then narrowly missed with a shot just over the bar. A few moment later,
Brugge comes close (relatively speaking of course) from open play, but the
shot goes weakly past the left post.

66'
Tremendous free kick goal by Nedved from about 23 yards out, just
to the left of the Brugge goal. A driving low kick that just tucked inside
the right post to give Juventus a deserved lead. Trezeguet and Ibrahimovic play a delightful one-two, before Zlatan is hacked down by Spilar. Nedved scores on the resulting free kick.

75'
Camoranesi puts a precision pass into the path of Trezeguet who lobs Stijnen from about 13 yards out for a lovely little goal. Great vision by Camoranesi and nice touch by Trezeguet. While I continue to type, Juventus almost scores twice more in the past 90 seconds. This could get ugly folks...
Juve toy with Brugge for a while, mostly Zlatan holding onto the ball far too long, refusing to set free a few teammates, probably more out of the fact that he seems to think Juve are unstoppable at the moment and a can afford to play cat and mouse. That said, he dribbles a few Brugge defenders and instead of setting Trez free, he tries to dribble the keeper...failing that he pulls back, allows the two Brugge defenders back into the play, all the while Trez is YELLING AT HIM TO PASS, but he tries a hard shot on net, which is saved however knocking the Brugge keeper into the net. Zlatan, Zlatan, Zlatan...you are uber skilled but for fuxaches...no Ronaldingo's please...more KAKA...thankyou!

85'
Against all odds, Brugge are back within a goal as Juventus
doesn't deal properly with a corner. Ball is cleared only as far as Blondel
who mis hits a ball, which wafts directly to Yulu-Matondo near the penalty spot.

Yulu-Matondo loops a header over Abbiati who anticipated a direct shot on net (becoming stuck in no-mans land) to make it 1-2....the Brugge incredibly almost scores within seconds of the restart. This may not be over yet.

89'
Vieira gets sent off for a second yellow card for a clumsy challenge in midfield as Brugge presses hard in the final 5+ minutes in search of an incredible equalizer. Juventus were full value for their win and should have won by a much larger margin, but the Belgians showed that they have some fight and were able to claw a goal back 5 minutes from the end. However, the team from Brugge were clearly outclassed tonight and will have to work hard to qualify for the knock-out stages of this competition.

Club Brugge 1-2 Juventus FT
0-1 Nedved (66')
0-2 Tregeguet (75')
1-2 Yulu-Matondo (85')
Sent off: Vieira (Juventus) [89']

Post match comments: Juve had something like 17 clear goal chances
(Brugge had 4), and Stijnen saved a definite goal an amazing 7 times. He was slightly at fault in both Juve's goal, but ad he not conceived such a night this could have ended 1-9 or something like that

[davor_suker]

Nice review, another dominating performance by the Bianconeri, unfortunately our finishing wasnt fantastic. Wait till they come to Turin.

[DKulla]

WHAT A MATCH!!!!! Better than the Empoli game! Their keeper was superb. But Juventus have really really impressed me. I believe they are the strongest in Europe without a doubt.

The score should have been like 12-1 for Juventus

[DKulla]

I am convinced that Camoranesi is the best Right Midfielder in the world. He is superb, and i think Nedved's influence has rubbed off on everybody. Zambrotta was amazing as always, Ibra was just incredible and showed that he is the most fearsome forward. WOW that match really blew me away.

FORZA JUVE !!!! !!!! !!!! !!!! !!!! !!!!!

[davor_suker]

Originally Posted by DKulla

WHAT A MATCH!!!!! Better than the Empoli game! Their keeper was superb. But Juventus have really really impressed me. I believe they are the strongest in Europe without a doubt.

The score should have been like 12-1 for Juventus

Agreed, but something really needs to be done about Abbiatti. He was terrible and if it wasnt for that superb clearance by Kovac it would have been a stalemate. Come back Gigi!

Who would you guys say was the best today? I say a three-way between Zambrotta, Nedved and Camoranesi.

[soccerates]

Originally Posted by davor_suker

Agreed, but something really needs to be done about Abbiatti. He was terrible and if it wasnt for that superb clearance by Kovac it would have been a stalemate. Come back Gigi!

Who would you guys say was the best today? I say a three-way between Zambrotta, Nedved and Camoranesi.

I agree.

Abbiatti wasn't tooo too bad, he misread the first goal, but then the first shot was miss kicked and I think he was preparing for that...

oh well, Juve dominated otherwise.

[DKulla]

Originally Posted by davor_suker

Agreed, but something really needs to be done about Abbiatti. He was terrible and if it wasnt for that superb clearance by Kovac it would have been a stalemate. Come back Gigi!

Who would you guys say was the best today? I say a three-way between Zambrotta, Nedved and Camoranesi.

i would add ibrahimovic as well in that list.

[snakies]

well i think abbiati just needs to play a few more matches and train a bit harder cause hes been on the sidelines for like 2 seasons which isnt good for any player

[Ivan7637]

Congrats on the win.

Wait till you face US!

[soccerates]

Thanks...and yes it should be another 'hard' fought battle

[davor_suker]

Originally Posted by snakies

well i think abbiati just needs to play a few more matches and train a bit harder cause hes been on the sidelines for like 2 seasons which isnt good for any player

Hopefully he improves because after what i saw i freaked...absolute indecision, no control of his box, it was shambolic in the goalmouth whenever a cross came in. If it wasnt for our excellent defence we would struggle.

[soccerates]

BTW Club Brugge was aptly re-named Club BRUISED after that game

[soccerates]

Originally Posted by DKulla

I am convinced that Camoranesi is the best Right Midfielder in the world.

I agree and have been saying that since late last season. Camoranesi has polished his skills off very nicely under Capello - the best tactical manager in the world.

Luxawho-m-burgo?

[DKulla]

Originally Posted by snakies

well i think abbiati just needs to play a few more matches and train a bit harder cause hes been on the sidelines for like 2 seasons which isnt good for any player

in the newspaper out of all the players, abbiati was rated the lowest

[snakies]

i do think we desperately need buffon back. abbiati is gonna be fine he just really needs to train hard.