Club Brugge win Belgian title

Brussels (AFP) – Club Brugge clinched the Belgian title for the 15th time on Sunday after a 1-1 draw away to nearest challengers Standard Liege.

The result left the Bruges side — led by Dutch midfielder Ruud Vormer — four points clear of Standard with one game remaining, and six ahead of last year’s champions Anderlecht, who lost 1-0 at Gent.

It is a second title in three seasons for the side coached by the Croatian Ivan Leko, and it means they will play in next season’s Champions League group stage.

European Cup finalists back in 1978, when they lost 1-0 to Liverpool in the final, Club had finished top of the table at the end of the regular season, having at one point been 28 points clear of Standard.

But with points totals being divided by two before the championship play-offs, some inconsistent form almost cost them in the end.