Kilmarnock 1-1 Cercle Brugge
Watson, 70 Olaigbe, 55
By Callum McFadden at Rugby Park.
Kilmarnock and Cercle Brugge played out a highly entertaining draw at a sold-out Rugby Park in the second qualifying round of the Europa League.
The home side started with real intensity as shown from the kick-off when captain Kyle Vassell tested the palms of Cercle Brugge goalkeeper Warleson after just eleven seconds.
Cercle grew into the game after a few cagey opening minutes and showcased pace and intensity in their game – particularly on counter-attacks.
The visitors spurned two good opportunities to take the lead on the half-hour mark. First, Kazeem Olaigbe fired wide after being played in behind the Kilmarnock defence by Abdoul Ouattara. That opportunity was followed up moments later with another effort, this time a header from close range by Outtara was well saved by Robby McCrorie.
The score remained goalless at the half-time interval but the Kilmarnock fans seemed happy enough with that. Their moods were further geed up during the half-time break, the home fans were treated to club legend Dieter van Tornhout addressing them on the pitch as he returned to the club for the first time in a few years.
Unfortunately for the hosts, Cercle grew in quality from the start of the second half and they fell behind when Olaigbe smashed home a curled effort from the edge of the box after being picked out by in-demand striker Kevin Denkey.
Killie thought that they had equalised a couple of minutes later when Stuart Findlay met a Matty Kennedy corner with his head to thunder the ball home, however, the goal was ruled out due to the cross curling behind the touchline before it arrived into the box. Upon review, it was a good call by the assistant referee.
They would not have to wait too much longer for the equaliser as Vassell headed a long throw from Danny Armstrong off the face of teammate David Watson that flew home into the Cercle net. The goal raised the atmosphere at Rugby Park to a whole new level with only twenty minutes to go.
Both teams responded to the equaliser with substitutes with Cercle making a double change while Kilmarnock made a triple change as Derek McInnes reordered his team shape from a 5-3-2 from a 4-5-1 formation as he chased a winner.
Push as they may, neither side could find a winning goal and a draw sets up a tasty deciding leg that will be played in Brugge next Thursday.
WFi player of the match: Kyle Vassell – Kilmarnock: The captain was a constant thorn in the side of the Cercle Brugge defence with his hold-up play and ability to bring teammates into play.
Kilmarnock: McCrorie, Mayo, Wright, Findlay, Deas, Lyons, Donnelly, Watson (Polworth, 77), Armstrong (Anderson, 77), Vassell, Kennedy (Murray, 77).
Substitutes: O’Hara, Glavin, McKenzie, Mackay-Steven, Murray, Cameron, Anderson, Wales, Brannan, Leslie, Polworth, Taynor.
Cercle Brugge: Warleson, Ravych, Utkus, Daland, Nazinho (Miangue, 75), Van der Bruggen, Francis, Ouattara (Augusto, 67), Somers, Olaigbe (Agyekum, 75), Denkey (Goncalves, 90).
Substitutes: Delanghe, De Bel, Popovic, Agyekum, Augusto, Miangue, Bayo, Bruno Goncalves, El Bahri, Lietaert, Kakou.
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