Club Brugge grabbed a dramatic equaliser in the closing minutes as they twice recovered to draw with Atletico Madrid in their Champions League knockout phase play-off first leg.
Club Brugge grabbed a dramatic equaliser in the closing minutes as they twice recovered to draw with Atletico Madrid in their Champions League knockout phase play-off first leg.
The Spanish side seized control early on. Julian Alvarez opened the scoring from the penalty spot after Joaquin Seys was punished for handling inside his own area following a mistimed clearance.
Atletico doubled their advantage just before the break when Ademola Lookman forced the ball home on his European debut for the club, leaving Diego Simeone’s men firmly in command at halftime.
However, the momentum shifted quickly after the restart. Raphael Onyedika reduced the deficit moments into the second half, giving the Belgian side renewed belief.
Brugge continued to press and was rewarded on the hour mark when Nicolo Tresoldi beat his marker and guided his effort beyond Jan Oblak to make it 2-2.
The equaliser reflected the hosts’ persistence, particularly after Onyedika had come close on two occasions during the opening period while Atletico retreated following their early lead.
Simeone, whose team had recently thrashed Barcelona before falling 3-0 to Rayo Vallecano, reacted by introducing Alexander Sorloth in search of fresh impetus.
The Norwegian striker struck the woodwork within minutes of coming on and threatened again before applying pressure that resulted in Joel Ordonez diverting the ball into his own net.
Just as it seemed Atletico might carry a narrow advantage back to Spain, Brugge found a response once more.
Christos Tzolis drove home in the 89th minute with a precise finish, ensuring the contest remains finely balanced heading into the return fixture.
The second leg will be played in Madrid on Tuesday, 24 February (20:00 GMT), with the victor set to meet either Liverpool or Tottenham in the last 16.
