Club Brugge’s opening goal against Celtic in this week’s Champions League clash was not a stroke of luck but a product of the Belgian side’s quality, according to Belgian coach Hein Vanhaezebrouck.
Speaking to Voetbal Primeur, Vanhaezebrouck argued that Cameron Carter-Vickers’ own goal stemmed from Brugge’s pressure rather than pure misfortune.
The incident unfolded in dramatic fashion at Celtic Park. Celtic defender Carter-Vickers, in an attempt to play out from the back, inadvertently passed the ball into his own net. Unbeknownst to him, goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel had vacated his position, leaving the goal wide open.
It was a moment that stunned the crowd and left the 26-year-old centre-back visibly distraught. Standing with his head in his hands, Carter-Vickers was left ruing his mistake.
Despite the lack of immediate pressure on him, the defender’s error handed Brugge an early advantage, though it ultimately did not prove costly for Celtic in the wider context of the match.
While the own goal has been labelled by some as one of the worst they’ve witnessed, Vanhaezebrouck was quick to highlight Brugge’s role in forcing the mistake.
“Well, I don’t agree that that was luck,” he told Het Belang van Limburg.
“If he (De Cuyper) hadn’t done that (pressured), Carter-Vickers could have solved it more calmly. So, all credit to Club for putting the opponent under so much pressure. Celtic had lost control.”
Vanhaezebrouck praised Brugge’s overall performance, adding: “I know it wasn’t PSG or Real Madrid, but the way Celtic dominated in all areas was very strong. Club played at the level of the big clubs. A lot of movement, a midfield that outclassed the opponent and covered a lot of meters.”
