Belgian First Division: Mechelen 0 Club Brugge 1

Club Brugge have triumphed in Friday’s Belgian First Division clash against Mechelen, with an early goal proving enough for the three points.

Buoyed by a come-from-behind 4-3 win against Westerlo in their last league appearance, Club Brugge entered the match full of momentum and keen to reverse their 2-1 home defeat to Mechelen earlier defeat this season.

Both sides had displayed patchy form in recent weeks but knew Friday’s match at the Argos Oil Stadion was a big chance to keep the pace with the likes of Standard Liege and Lokeren in a bid to finish in the top six.

Club Brugge got the perfect start when Croatian midfielder Ivan Perisic scored an early goal after just seven minutes.

It was Perisic’s sixth of the season and third in two matches, handing his side the lead in what was to become a spiteful affair.

Mechelen’s hopes of a comeback took a blow when striker Christian Benteke was given a straight red card after 29 minutes, with the frontman one of eight players to be carded throughout the match.

The cards continued in the second-half as Mechelen piled on the pressure in search of an equaliser, but Club Brugge were good enough defensively to survive and post their second win in a row and move four points clear in sixth.