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Cercle Bruges 17 January 2022, 18:52

Cercle start 2022 off with a win!

Cercle start 2022 off with a win!
Winners of the Bruges derby on Belgium's "Boxing Day" at the end of last year (2-0), the Greens and Black again won in their first match of 2022 this weekend, away to Eupen (0-2).

It was a double dose of victories this Sunday! While Philippe Clement’s men won against Clermont at the Stade Louis-II (4-0), AS Monaco’s sister club also shone. Playing away Eupen, a direct competitor in the Jupiler Pro League table, Cercle Bruges recorded another victory (0-2), in their first match of 2022, despite missing several key players.

A victory won in the eleventh hour

This latest win, the sixth in seven games for the teammates of Boris Popovic, a starter in the absence of another former Academy, player, Edgaras Utkus, also saw the team get a new clean sheet. However, the match would take time to take form. It was thus necessary to wait until the last quarter of an hour, when the Belgian winger Thibo Somers opened the scoring with a beautiful volley (1-0, 77′). Then, the team’s Slovenian playmaker, Dino Hotic, would end any suspense five minutes later by converting a penalty (2-0, 82′).

Dino Hotic invovled in 11 top-flight goals

Indeed, Hotic took advantage of this duel against a direct opponent in the Jupiler Pro League standings, to score his fourth goal of the season in the league, to go along with 7 assists. The result thus allowed Cercle Bruges to climb into 10th place provisionally. The next match for Dominik Thalhammer’s men comes on Sunday, with a visit from Zulte Waregem. Bravo to the Green and Black!

* Photos: Photonews

Rise. Risk. Repeat.