Tresoldi put Club Brugge ahead from the spot on 30 minutes, a penalty won by Carlos Forbs. Inter answered before the break as Lautaro levelled on 44 minutes, capping a swift move started by Federico Dimarco’s involvement on the left. The first half ended 1-1 after a lively exchange and a woodwork hit apiece.

After the interval, Brugge leaned into transitions. Tresoldi struck again on 63 minutes, then completed his hat-trick at 74, both sequences featuring Forbs in the build-up and one with a clean assist. Inter hit back on 81 as Lautaro made it 2-3. Romeo Vermant restored daylight at 87 for 2-4, set up by Forbs. Ange-Yoan Bonny pulled one back at 90+3 after a neat Aleksandar Stanković pass, but time ran out for the hosts.

There was bite too. Manuel Akanji and Hakan Çalhanoğlu saw first-half yellows, with Jan Virgili and Han-Beom Lee cautioned after the break. Félix Lemaréchal went into the book in stoppage time. Seven added minutes only added to the drama.

Volume vs precision: why 30 shots were not enough

Inter fired 30 shots to Club Brugge’s 18 and put 12 on target to the visitors’ 8. Yet the shot quality leaned the other way. Brugge posted 4.26 xG to Inter’s 3.93, and 4.84 xGOT to 3.92. Inter also racked up six big chances but missed four of them, while Brugge took all four of their big chances.

Touches in the penalty area underline the story. Brugge had 45 touches in the Inter box compared to Inter’s 36, finding better positions at the end of counters. Inter did manage more from range, with 12 shots outside the box to Brugge’s 1, which padded volume but not always danger. The woodwork count was close, Inter 1 and Brugge 2. In short, Brugge were sharper around the spot and six-yard area, where this match was really decided.

Lautaro’s night sums up Inter’s frustration. He produced 12 attempts, five on target, two goals and 2.80 xG, but also two big chances missed. At the other end Tresoldi needed just five shots, three on target, to land a hat-trick with 2.22 xG and a ruthless first touch inside the area.

Where it swung: entries, box touches and carries

Possession tilted to Inter at 53% and the hosts completed more passes, 533 to 475, with 464 accurate. Still, Brugge were tidier when it mattered. The visitors won the final-third phase 108/139 at 78% compared to Inter’s 109/147 at 74%. They also made more final-third entries, 51 to 46, and more box touches, which powered the decisive chances.

Dribble efficiency did favour Inter, who went 14 of 16 successfully, with Brugge at 11 of 14. Ground duels were 55% Inter overall, but the second half flipped to 53% Brugge, a sign of their control on counters and second balls as the match stretched. Inter’s crossing edge, 7/16 to 1/7, could not offset Brugge’s cleaner central routes and late runs.

A big driver of those breaks was Forbs. He carried the ball 23 times with a total progression of 296.98 meters, repeatedly turning defensive regains into attacks. Freddie Potts did a lot of the quiet work too, winning three of four tackles and completing 42 of 50 passes in the Brugge midfield. For Inter, substitutes Djed Spence and Bonny added thrust, with Bonny winning duels and finding the net in added time.

Goalkeepers and thin margins

Yann Sommer’s 9 saves stood out, including six from inside the box. His 0.92 goals prevented and an 8.4 Sofascore Rating captured a night where he kept Inter within arm’s length whenever the hosts surged. He also completed 36 of 46 passes, helping reset pressure after clearances.

On the other side, Josep Martínez had 4 saves and 0.84 goals prevented, plus an error leading to a goal on the team ledger. Inter actually registered more recoveries, 49 to 45, and blocks, but Brugge’s finishing made most moments count. Clearances were close, 17 for Brugge to 15 for Inter, another sign of a finely balanced contest.

The disciplinary ledger tilted Brugge’s way at 13 fouls to Inter’s 6, which helped disrupt Inter’s rhythm. Yet most of those interruptions happened away from high-risk zones, where Brugge’s shape held. In a one-goal game decided by small swings, a hot goalkeeper and cool finishing often separate the sides. This was one of those nights.

MVP: Carlos Forbs and an 8.4 Sofascore Rating

Carlos Forbs was central to almost everything good for Club Brugge and earned an 8.4 Sofascore Rating. He won the first-half penalty that Tresoldi converted for 0-1, then supplied two assists in the second half, including Vermant’s 87th-minute finish that pushed the score to 2-4. He also threaded key passes and drove play into the danger zone again and again.

The numbers back it up. Forbs recorded 2 assists, 3 key passes and 2 big chances created. He completed 23 of 27 passes, with 20 accurate in the opposition half, and finished with 41 touches. He carried the ball 23 times and logged a massive 249.46 meters of progressive carrying distance, regularly lifting Brugge into Inter’s half at speed.

His defensive contribution mattered too, with 4 recoveries and steady duel work. Add a penalty won, and you have a complete winger’s away performance: direct, decisive and tidy in the final ball. On a night of clinical finishing, his decision-making in the final third gave Tresoldi and Vermant the clean looks they needed.

There was strong support around him. Sommer matched Forbs’ 8.4 with nine saves, while Tresoldi posted an 8.2 after a hat-trick. For Inter, Bonny made a real impact off the bench with a goal and an 8.3, and Lautaro delivered two goals with relentless shot volume.