Club Brugge 0 : 0 Torino - All-square in Belgium

Posted Friday, September 19, 2014 by PA

Torino escaped with a goalless draw at Club Brugge in their Europa League Group B opener on Thursday.

The Italian outfit had just one shot on goal in the entire game at the Jan Breydelstadion and relied on the saves of their Belgian goalkeeper Jean Francois Gillet to come away with a point.

Gillet, who recently returned from a 13-month ban for match-fixing, made three crucial saves to deny Brugge victory.

Torino have returned to European competition after a 20-year absence and had their one and only shot on target in the 14th minute.

Carvalho Amauri fed Fabio Quagliarella just outside the box but the veteran striker's effort was kept out by Brugge goalkeeper Maty Ryan.

Gillet was called on to make his first save of the evening in the 28th minute when he kept out Oscar Duarte's powerful header from Victor Vazquez's cross.

Three minutes later and Gillet denied Brugge the lead once more.

Felipe Gedoz spotted Victor Vazquez inside the area and his right-footed shot was saved by Gillet.

Torino could have taken the lead six minutes into the second half but Juan Sanchez Mino's 10-yard shot went just wide of the far post.

The home side looked more dangerous in the second half and in the 75th minute, Nikola Storm headed a cross by Thomas Meuni on target only for Gillet to deny the hosts once again with a stunning stop.

Toro substitute Omar El Kaddouri almost stunned the home crowd with one minute remaining when his bullet strike from 30 yards went just wide of the far post.