Kilmarnock 1 Cercle Brugge 1: David Watson nicks crucial Killie goal from captain Kyle Vassell in Europa cracker

DAVID WATSON rescued a Europa League draw for Kilmarnock – without knowing anything about it. 

Former Ross County loanee Kareem Olaigbe gave Cercle Brugge what seemed like a priceless away lead early in the second-half.

PA

Daniel Armstrong was in the thick of the action in the goalless first half[/caption]

Kenny Ramsay

Kazeem Olaigbe broke Killie’s resolve shortly after the break[/caption]

Kenny Ramsay

But captain Kyle Vassell’s header came off team-mate David Watson and into the net to level[/caption]

But Killie kept their hopes alive when skipper Kyle Vassell’s header deflected into the net off Watson – flying in behind him – after 70 minutes. 

They’ll now head for the Jan Breydel Stadium next Thursday hoping to do what they did five years ago against Welsh minnows Connah’s Quay Nomads – win away from home. 

Cercle, playing in Europe for the first time in 14 seasons and only the fourth season in their history, had a cosmopolitan starting line-up consisting of players of eight nationalities.

Striker Kevin Denkey was viewed as the danger man after his 28 goals in 37 games last season. 

But while he and his side showed in glimpses, Killie – who had a Stuart Findlay goal disallowed and saw sub Fraser Murray force a great last-gasp save from Brugge keeper Warleson – fully merited their draw.

It was watched by a crowd of 10,410 – Killie’s biggest home crowd since their title win over Arbroath in April 2022. But despite a late push Derek McInnes’ side just weren’t able to give them the win they craved.

Scotland boss Steve Clarke was watching from the stand and he saw squad keeper Robby McCrorie– making his competitive Killie debut – make two fine first-half saves to keep the scoresheet blank at the break. 

The Belgians’ Austrian boss Miron Muslic had been critical of the Kilmarnock surface in the build-up but his side showed little real quality in what was a competitive but untidy tie. 

A frenetic start saw the visitors’ Brazilian goalkeeper, Warleson, forced into a diving save after just ten seconds. 

From kick-off, Lewis Mayo headed on and skipper Vassell bustled beyond Jesper Daland and fired for goal, with Warleson parrying his effort. 

As the Belgians struggled to clear, the home crowd thought they’d won a penalty when Danny Armstrong went down in the box – but the Slovakian referee was pointing for offside against the Killie wide man. 

Full-back Nazinho’s slip on a RugbyPark surface drenched by a pre-match downpour gave Armstrong another opening on the right but his cross was gathered by Cercle’s keeper. 

But the opening half-hour was frenzied stuff with neither side managing to exert any authority on the game. 

A long-range effort by Abu Francis sailed well wide, but was still cheered enthusiastically by the 1000 travelling Cercle Brugge fans. 

But there was a greater danger after 31 minutes when Matty Kennedy lost possession and 

Abdoul Ouattara set up Kazeem Olaigbe only for the winger to blaze over.

However Cercle were beginning to look more assertive and skipper Thibo Somers’ header on was met by Ouattara, whose header was well saved by Robby McCrorie. 

Killie, though, responded well and Kennedy’s cross was begging for a taker but neither Vassell nor Brad Lyons could get a meaningful touch on the ball as it sailed across. 

But the home side had a let-off four minutes before the break when McCrorie missed Nazinho’s corner and in the scramble that followed Daland saw his drive deflected over the top off McCrorie’s face. 

Cercle came out for the second-half in a more threatening mood and broke the deadlock nine minutes after the re-start.

Olaigbe – who’d a spell on loan at the Staggies two seasons ago – took Denkey’s pass and cut inside Joe Wright before curling a drive inside McCrorie’s post. 

It was a dagger through Killie’s heart and it could’ve been worse moments later when Denkey’s drive was saved by McCrorie and Killie were delighted that Somers mishit his effort from the rebound.

Killie thought they were back in the tie when Stuart Findlay headed in Matty Kennedy’s corner but the assistant referee had flagged immediately to signal the kick had gone out of play.  

However their battling qualities came to the fore after 70 minutes when they levelled the tie.

Armstrong’s long throw was back-headed by Vassell and the ball cannoned off Watson into the roof of the net. 

And Killie ended the night as they’d started it, forcing a great save out of Warleson in stoppage-time from Murray’s drive. 

Norway’s Molde or Silkeborg of Sweden in the next round await the winners in the next round, with the Norwegians favourites after a 3-1 win last night. 

The losers are likely to be heading to the Arctic Circle after Tromso of Norway won 1-0 away to Finland‘s KuPS Kuopio in the Conference League third qualifying round.

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