Controversial penalty call gives Club Brugge win over Atalanta

A controversial stoppage-time penalty by substitute Gustaf Nilsson secured Club Brugge a 2-1 home win against Atalanta in the first leg of their Champions League knockout phase playoff on Wednesday.

Atalanta defender Isak Hien was judged to have raised a hand into the face of Nilsson, his teammate in the Sweden national team, as they chased a loose ball.

After referee Halil Umut Meler showed yellow cards to Hien and two teammates for protesting, Nilsson got up to win the game by sending Atalanta goalkeeper Rui Patrício the wrong way with his spot kick.

"We are now going in a direction outside of what football should be," Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini told Sky Italia of the penalty decision. "But beyond the controversy we now have to accept these rules that I no longer recognise."

Striker Jutgla gave a confident Brugge the lead after 15 minutes, in what was the clubs' first European meeting, scoring with a measured strike.

Brugge winger Chemsdine Talbi took the ball on the right flank and ran into the box before squaring it to Jutgla for a neat finish.

The Belgian champions, who stuck with the same line-up they deployed at Manchester City in their previous Champions League match, had a chance to double their lead when Maxim De Cuyper found the side netting 15 minutes later.

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But the visitors grew into the clash as the half wore on and Pasalic levelled with a header just before halftime, netting from a lovely cross by Davide Zappacosta.

The Croatia midfielder, who capitalised on a brief loss of focus from the hosts, has now scored in three consecutive Champions League games.

Atalanta substitute Lazar Samardzic had an excellent chance to put his side in front after the hour mark but his low shot narrowly missed the far post, seconds after Brugge keeper Simon Mignolet superbly denied Zappacosta's header.

The lively encounter continued to deliver chances for both teams and Charles De Ketelaere, who was facing his old club, tested Mignolet with a late strike from outside the box but the goalkeeper leapt high to deny Atalanta's Bruges-born forward.

Yet it was the hosts that found the winner in stoppage time after the referee adjudged Hien to have fouled Nilsson and the striker made no mistake in slotting home the resulting penalty.

Atalanta were the highest finishers in competition's new league phase among the teams involved in the playoffs (ninth), having lost only one of their eight games against defending champions Real Madrid.

Brugge finished 24th and took the last spot available, squeezing into the playoff round on goal difference.

Atalanta will host Brugge in the reverse fixture on Tuesday, with the winner of the tie facing Lille or Aston Villa in competition's round of 16.

Information from the Associated Press contributed to this report