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Penalty row as Club Brugge gain Champions League advantage over Atalanta / Photo: © AFP
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Penalty row as Club Brugge gain Champions League advantage over Atalanta
Gustaf Nilsson shot Club Brugge to a 2-1 win over Atalanta on Wednesday with a controversial penalty in stoppage time to boost the Belgians' chances of reaching the last 16 of the Champions League.
Atalanta looked to be escaping Bruges with a draw after Mario Pasalic's fine header four minutes before half-time levelled Ferran Jutgla's fabulous opener for the hosts.
But Nilsson won and then netted the decisive penalty at the Jan Breydel Stadium, delighting home fans and enraging Atalanta who could barely believe that the spot-kick had even been awarded.
Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini stormed down the tunnel before the final whistle in anger while his players continued to protest at the end of the match.
Nilsson had crumpled to the turf after being grazed on the face by Isak Hien's left fingers as the Atalanta defender ran to collect the ball in his own area.
Hien couldn't believe his eyes when referee Umut Meler pointed to the spot and gave Nilsson the chance to fire Club Brugge to a win which they might have otherwise deserved for their enterprising performance in front of passionate home support.
Club Brugge take a slender lead to next Tuesday's second leg in Bergamo where Atalanta will be fired up to go through and face one of Aston Villa or Lille in the next round.
E. da Cruz--JDB
