Ghanaian midfielder, Abu Francis, returned to action at Cercle Brugge after a lengthy injury layoff to help his side to victory in the Belgium league game against KAS Eupen.
Francis, who has been out since August last year after suffering a serious injury in the game against Standard Liege, replaced Van der Bruggen in the 2-0 victory on the road.
The Right to Dream Academy graduate spent six months on the sidelines due to the setback and hopes to quickly retain his place in the starting eleven.
His return is a huge boost for Cercle Brugge, who are currently in the playoff zone after the win on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Togolese forward Kevin Denkey scored twice in the space of three minutes to ensure Cercle returned to Brugge with all three points.
Francis started the season strongly before the knock, making five league appearances in the current campaign.
He joined the Belgium outfit from Danish outfit FC Nordsjaelland after excelling on an initial loan deal.