Campbell Stars In Club NXT Win
South African teenage sensation Shandre Campbell put on a stellar performance to guide Club NXT, the youth academy of Belgian giants Club Brugge, to a hard fought 3-2 win over RFC Seraing in the First Division B on Friday.
The 19-year-old forward opened the scoring on the hour mark with a low drilled shot into the bottom corner, from the edge of the box, before assisting Alejandro Granados from a corner kick to double the lead 12 minutes later.
With the victory, the team strengthened its credentials of securing a promotional playoffs spot. Club NXT is currently in a playoff spot in sixth place with 37 points – six more than seventh-placed K. Lierse SK after 23 league outings.
The South African U20 international has now scored seven goals and provided two assists in 17 appearances in the Challenger Pro League, making him the club’s top goal scorer alongside Lenn De Smet and Lynnt Audoor.
Since completing his move from SuperSport United in July last year, Campbell has enjoyed a meteoric rise in Belgium as his dazzling displays in the second tier caught the eye of first team coaches which subsequently earned him a promotion to the first team in February 2025.
The SuperSport academy graduate made his senior Brugge debut mid-February, coming off the bench in the 85th minute against St-Truiden, which was followed by another first team appearance on the bench in a 1-1 draw with Gent.
Furthermore, Campbell was recently named as a substitute in Brugge’s UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg clash against Aston Villa on Tuesday. It remains to be seen whether the gem will make the travelling squad for the return leg in Villa Park on Wednesday.
The Belgian champions will have to overturn a two-goal deficit if they are to progress to the next stage of Europe’s elite club competition as they suffered a 3-1 defeat on home soil, falling to goals from Leon Bailey, Marco Asensio and a Brandon Mechele own goal.
