BRUGES (Belgium), August 29 – Veteran goalkeeper Dany Verlinden saved two shots in a penalty shootout to lead FC Brugge past Shakhtar Donetsk of Ukraine Wednesday and into the first round of the Champions League.
FC Brugge and Donetsk had played 1-1 in regulation time, equaling their score in Ukraine two weeks ago, and Verlinden, 39, already made crucial saves in Golden Goal overtime to get Brugge to the shootout.
After his two penalty saves, Norwegian Rune Lange scored the clincher in a 4-1 shootout.
“This was hard for my heart,” said Brugge’s Norwegian coach Trond Sollied. “It was 50-50. Donetsk was good and they proved it here.”
Donetsk stunned the 20,000 home crowd with a freekick from striker Andriy Vorobey in the 13th minute, which surprised Verlinden.
It forced Brugge to go onto the attack early and with veteran Gert Verheyen back in the lineup after injury, the Ukrainians were immediately forced in front of their own goal. Peruvian Andres Mendoza immediately forced a couple of early chances but could not get past goalkeeper Wojciech Kowalewski.
In the second half, FC Brugge continued to pile on the pressure but its sterile play could not dislodge a well-organized Donetsk defense at first.
The change came 15 minutes from time when Slovene substitute Nastja Ceh kicked a majestic left-foot freekick past Kowalewski to level the score.
In a seesaw finish both teams created opportunities to clinch qualification but the game was forced into overtime.
In Golden Goal overtime, substitute Tim Smolders missed two open chances to give Brugge the edge.
