Highlights | Kilmarnock 1-1 Cercle Bruges
Kilmarnock will head to Belgium level with Cercle Bruges after they came from behind to draw the first leg of their Europa League second round qualifier.
After an even first half at Rugby Park, the visitors flew out the blocks and got their rewards through Kazeem Olaigbe’s powerful finish.
But Kilmarnock levelled when Kyle Vassell’s flicked header cannoned off David Watson and into the top corner.
It means everything is to play for in the second leg, to be played at the Jan Breydel Stadium next Thursday.
The hosts almost made the perfect start in torrential rain when Danny Armstrong was seemingly felled in the box. Referee Martin Dohal pointed to the spot, but the ball had gone out of play earlier in the move and the heart rates slowly returned to normal.
The intensity, perhaps helped by the slick surface, lasted most of the first half but failed to produce many big chances for Kilmarnock.
Cercle had a couple though. They were a threat on the counter and Robby McCrorie - making his competitive Kilmarnock debut - had to make two good saves to deny them.
First, Abdoul Kader Ouattara got onto a Thibo Somers flick on to nod at goal from close range, with McCrorie showing good reflexes to turn behind.
Then, the Killie stopper flapped at a corner which Jesper Daland fired back at goal, with the ball glancing off McCrorie’s face before going over the bar.
The Belgians made a strong start after the interval and that enterprise was rewarded when Olaigbe took a delightful touch just inside the box to work a shooting chance, before curling into the top corner.
Kilmarnock thought they had found an instant reply when Stuart Findlay powered home a header, but Matty Kennedy’s corner kick had drifted out of play,
Vassell connected with a Liam Polworth cross and watched on agonisingly as his looping effort grazed the post and went wide.
Kilmarnock finished with a flourish with substitute Fraser Murray in the thick of things, drawing a good save from Warleson and rippling the top of the net with a free-kick.
Player of the Match - Kyle Vassell (Kilmarnock)
It might be an assist rather than a goal, but the skipper led valiantly from the front.
Killie go toe-to-toe with Cercle Bruges
The Connah’s Quay disaster may have only been five years ago, but with the good feeling around Rugby Park, it feels much longer.
There have been downs and ups since then, and the Ayrshire team are still riding the wave of their latest ascent up the table.
The confidence gained from last season’s overachieving has not evaporated over the summer and Kilmarnock didn’t look out of place against one of Belgium’s best teams.
In the final 15 minutes, it seemed like only one team would win, as Kilmarnock threatened to create history. If they had found a winner, it would have been deserved.
Will they go on to regret not finding a winner? We'll have to wait and see, but Derek McInnes' side will certainly go to Bruges with nothing to fear.
What the managers said
Kilmarnock 1-1 Cercle Bruges | Derek McInnes post-match.
Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes: "We made the changes at the right time. Cercle play with high intensity. We thought we might have been able to capitalise on that.
"It was always my intention to get two strikers on the pitch. Frazer Murray has been terrific in pre-season and he gave us a spark. The way we finished the game, we'll hang on to that.
"I'm comfortable with the result. Normally it takes two big performances. We'll take the confidence and the fitness from it."
Cercle Bruges head coach Miron Muslic: "We knew Kilmarnock would try to take the advantage from the pitch and the fantastic atmosphere, but I'm really happy with how we faced this.
"It's not easy defending long ball after long ball, set-piece after set-piece. We picked up the fight. It's a good result and we have everything in our hands."
