BRUGES, Belgium :Captain Hans Vanaken led from the front as Club Brugge recorded a 4-1 thumping of Monaco at the Jan Breydel Stadium on Thursday to underline their potential for a good run in the competition this season.
Vanaken scored one goal and laid on another as the home side were superb in attack with Nicolo Tresoldi, Raphael Onyedika and 19-year-old Mamadou Diakhon also on target. Ansu Fati netted a late consolation for the visitors.
Monaco had a chance from the penalty spot with the score at 0-0 after home goalkeeper Simon Mignolet was adjudged to have brought down Mika Biereth.
But the 37-year-old Mignolet, who had to leave the field shortly afterwards with a groin problem, saved Maghnes Akliouche’s effort from 12 yards.
Tresoldi gave Brugge the lead in the 32nd minute from Vanaken’s clever pass into the box, and Onyedika turned the ball into the net from close range after being teed up by Carlos Forbs for a second.
Vanaken’s trademark powerful shot into the net from the edge of the box made the scoreline 3-0 at halftime, and teenager Diakhon netted a fourth with 15 minutes remaining, his first goal for the club.
