Controversial late penalty gives the Belgians the advantage.
Brugge defeated Atalanta 2-1 on Wednesday, the 12th, in a Champions League playoff match. Jutglà and Nilsson scored for the Belgian side, while Pasalic pulled one back for the Italians. Get the latest football scores at ai football score.
Given both teams’ positions in the league phase standings and their recent form, Atalanta was widely expected to advance without much difficulty. The Italian side finished ninth, narrowly missing out on direct qualification to the round of 16, while Brugge struggled and only secured their spot in 24th place after losing to Manchester City in the final group stage match.
But in football, what matters is what happens over the 90 minutes. Playing in front of their home fans, Brugge struck first in the 15th minute through Jutglà, setting the tone for the match. Atalanta fought hard and managed to equalize before halftime with a goal from Pasalic.
The second half remained intense, and just when it seemed the match would end in a 1-1 draw, the decisive moment arrived: a penalty was awarded after Isak Hien clipped a Brugge player inside the box. The call sparked heavy protests from the Italian side, but the referee stood by his decision. Nilsson stepped up and converted the spot-kick, securing a narrow advantage for the Belgians. Stay ahead of the competition with BBscore football.
