Cercle Brugge suffered another defeat in the Jupiler Pro League on Saturday. Lasse Friis's side lost 3-2 away to Sporting Charleroi despite scoring two late goals in the match.
Charleroi took an early lead. Freddy Mbemba headed home in the 15th minute following a cross from Jakob Napoleon Romsaas. Ten minutes later, Aurélien Scheidler doubled the advantage with a precise header, assisted by Patrick Pflücke. Cercle Brugge responded quickly and got back into the game through Dante Vanzeir. The striker found the net in the 30th minute after a pass from Erick Nunes.
After the break, Charleroi were awarded a penalty, which Scheidler converted for his second goal of the evening. Cercle Brugge also earned a spot-kick, which substitute Steve Ngoura dispatched in the 73rd minute to make it 3-2. Despite late pressure from the visitors, the scoreline remained unchanged.
The match statistics highlight a difficult evening for Cercle. Charleroi enjoyed 64 percent possession and had fourteen shots, seven of which were on target. Cercle Brugge managed seven attempts, with six on goal. Friis's 5-3-2 setup could not solve the defensive issues, with the team now having conceded eleven goals in six league matches.
This defeat leaves Cercle Brugge in 15th place in the Jupiler Pro League, with just three points from six games. Their recent form is a concern, with four losses in their last five outings. The full standings are available online.
The next challenge is a home fixture against RSC Anderlecht on October 10. Anderlecht currently sit seventh. Ahead of that match, the team must find more defensive solidity. The squad's injury status can be followed on our injuries page.
