Soccer Football - Champions League - SK Sturm Graz v Club Brugge - Merkur Arena, Graz, Austria - October 2, 2024 Club Brugge's Christos Tzolis celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates REUTERS/Leonhard Foeger
KLAGENFURT, Austria (Reuters) - A powerful strike from Christos Tzolis earned Club Brugge a 1-0 victory at Sturm Graz in the Champions League group stage on Wednesday.
The Greek forward netted the decisive goal in the 23rd minute, firing into the far corner off the post from the edge of the area following a neat first touch.
Brugge were prevented from extending their lead by a series of fine saves from goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen early in the second half.
Despite a spirited response from the Austrian hosts, buoyed by an enthusiastic home crowd, they were unable to find an equaliser as Brugge secured a narrow win in the teams' first European meeting.
(Reporting by Tommy Lund in Gdansk, editing by Ed Osmond)
