Player who snubbed West Ham gives his rudderless side a derby win as life after Jashari begins

Report and photo by Alessandro Schiavone at Jan Breydelstadion, Bruges

Club Bruges 2-0 Cercle Bruges

Goals: Vanaken 59' , Tzolis 64' (Club Bruges)

A player who turned down the chance to join West Ham in 2020 before his club took matters into their own hands two years later by giving the Hammers the same untasty response played a big part in his side's derby win today.

Hans Vanaken's looping header gave Club Bruges a precious win over 10-man Cercle Bruges in their first league game since ex-Hammers target Jashari joined AC Milan in midweek.

Swiss international Jashari could have joined Graham Potter's side. But the boyhood Milan supporter decided to swipe left on the chance to move to east London.

Yet his rudderless and chaotic ex-side made hard work of beating the minnows from across town. Second-best in every department and always late to the second balls, Club Bruges's opening half-hour left something to be desired.

Yet their slow start to this highly-anticipated fixture went unpunished with Cercle missing a flurry of chances through Alan Minda, Lawrence Agyekum and Steve Ngoura.

But the hosts somewhat survived before Emmanuel Kakou was given the marching orders on 40 minutes. That was a real game-changer

Even if either side of the casualty, the sloppy hosts had shown signs of improvement with Hugo Siquet and Christos Tzolis both having strikes parried by Maxime Delanghe.

With little less than 15 minutes of the second-half played Vanaken headed home goalkeeper Delanghe's wayward clearance into his path.

And Greek winger Tzolis hammered home his side's second from Kyriani Sabbe's cross after the visitors made a hash of dealing with.

Tonight no one in the plush city will care whether it was deserved or not. But the red card will certainly set tongues wagging for days if not months to come....