Partizan Belgrade 2 - 4 Club Brugge

Brugge a step closerto knockout

Updated: November 6, 2009, 8:09 AM UK

Club Brugge put themselves in pole position to claim second place in Group J of the Europa League with an all-action win at Partizan Belgrade.

Brugge were 2-0 up at the break through Ivan Perisic and Rostand Kouemaha, before the sides traded goals in the second period - Kouemaha and Vadis Odjija responding to strikes from Adem Ljajic and Washington.

Mladen Krstajic was sent off late on for Partizan for picking up two yellow cards.

Shakhtar Donetsk's win against Toulouse saw the Ukrainian side seal qualification from Group J and also gave Brugge a three-point advantage over the French team.

Despite being the away side, Brugge were on the attack from the start, Nabil Dirar firing over the bar from distance within a minute, then sending a free-kick over the bar after Branislav Jovanovic fouled Odjija.

Brana Ilic worked visiting goalkeeper Stijn Stijnen from the edge of the box before Odjija was off target from fully 30 yards.

Brugge's pressure paid off after 28 minutes when Michael Klukowski's cross was converted from close range by Perisic.

Perisic then turned supplier eight minutes later, his pass setting up Kouemaha for another close-range strike.

Partizan strived for a goal in the closing stages of the half, Jovanovic shooting over and Lamine Diarra's effort needing a save from Stijnen.

They did pull one back six minutes after the break, though, when Milos Bogunovic's cross from the right side of the area was turned in by Ljajic - although Kouemaha restored Brugge's two-goal advantage with a right-foot strike from 25 yards.

The game took on an end-to-end feel and Washington missed a decent chance, heading Marko Lomic's cross wide.

But when Joseph Akpala fouled Bogunovic, Lomic took the free-kick, Krstajic headed the ball back across goal and Washington this time made no mistake this time, nodding home.

With 17 minutes to go, there seemed to be little danger when Ljubomir Fejsa fouled Kouemaha 35 yards from goal.

But Odjija's free-kick beat everyone, including Partizan keeper Aleksandar Radosavljevic, to make Brugge comfortable again.

Krstajic then fouled Karel Geraerts to earn a second booking and Partizan offered little after that, save a speculative Bogunovic effort, slipping to a defeat which leaves them in desperate need of points if they are to progress ahead of their opponents.