BRUGES, Belgium (Reuters) - A 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's Mario Pasalic cancelled out Ferran Jutgla's early opener for the hosts before Brugge were awarded a soft penalty for Isak Hien's foul on Nilsson in injury time and the Swedish striker made no mistake in slotting home.
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.
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 although the decision to award a penalty was not without controversy.
Nilsson chased after a ball into the box and tumbled to the ground after Atalanta defender Hien's hand appeared to brush against his face, with the VAR not reversing the referee's call.
The Brugge forward then dusted himself down to send keeper Rui Patricio the wrong way from the spot.
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.
Club 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 last 16.
(Reporting by Anita Kobylinska in Gdansk; Editing by Toby Davis)
