Christmas cheer for Brugge

By Berend Scholten

Club Brugge KV completed a hat-trick of Belgium Super Cup triumphs with a 2-0 win against RSC Anderlecht at their Constant Vanden Stock stadium in Brussels.

Twelth victory
Belgian Cup holders Brugge are four points ahead of league champions Anderlecht in the First Division table and goals from Sebastian Hermans and Rune Lange ensured they won the Super Cup for the third year running, and the 12th time overall.

Young lineups
Both teams were without several regulars, Anderlecht deprived of Walter Baseggio, Aruna Dindane and Christian Wilhelmsson, while Brugge had to do without Boško Balaban, Peter Van der Heyden and Olivier De Cock. Youngsters like Jonathan Legear of Anderlecht and Brugge's Jonathan Blondel and Hermans were given their chances to shine.

Brugge ahead
Anderlecht took the initiative from the start, but an eighth-minute misunderstanding between defenders Olivier Deschacht and Vincent Kompany left 21-year-old Hermans one-on-one with goalkeeper Jan Van Steenberghe and the attacker made no mistake.

Victory sealed
Legear went close twice before the break, however Anderlecht could not level and in the second half Gert Verheyen nearly doubled the lead, but shot wide when through on goal. Brugge goalkeeper Stijn Stijnen made a vital save from Anderlecht substitute Oleg Iachtchouk in the 74th minute, and six minutes later Blondel's cross was turned in by Lange. Legear and Iachtchouk had late chances, but victory was Brugge's.