Current location:health >>
Aston Villa 2
health3442People have gathered around
IntroductionAston Villa will head to France next week with a slender advantage and 90 minutes away from a first ...
Aston Villa will head to France next week with a slender advantage and 90 minutes away from a first major European semi-final since 1982.
Goals from Ollie Watkins and John McGinn in either half gave Villa a two-goal lead and they had keeper Emiliano Martinez to thank for an array of crucial saves before Lille pulled one back late on through Bafodo Diakite.
On a night where defeats for Liverpool and West Ham in the Europa League hampered the Premier League’s bid for five Champions League spots - which may prove crucial for Villa - Unai Emery’s side will know they will have their work cut out for the return leg with Paulo Fonseca’s team guilty of not taking their chance.
‘The feeling I have is frustration because we created the opportunities to get a better result,’ said Fonseca, who was left bemoaning VAR.
‘There was a foul for both of their goals. With VAR, it’s incredible they miss these things,’ insisted the Lille boss.
Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins opened the scoring with his 25th goal of the season
Watkins scored in the 13th minute, left unmarked in the box to head in from a McGinn corner.
John McGinn doubled the lead with a fine strike into the bottom corner in the 56th minute
Emery insisted that he wasn’t aware.
‘It was a difficult match,’ he said. ‘2-0 is better than 2-1 but they’re a very good team as well and we have to accept it.’
Ahead of his 1000th game in charge, the Spaniard asked the fans to ‘dream together as it was 42 years ago,’ stressing that it was Villa’s first major European quarter-final since 1998.
Emery knows more than most about continental success with four Europa League titles to his name and his team raced out of the blocks as Watkins headed in from McGinn’s corner for his 25th goal of the season with what was the third of three chances in three minutes.
The goal even had the royal seal of approval as the cameras panned to a jubilant Prince William and Prince George in the stands but the visitors should have gone into the break level with Martinez denying Edon Zhergova, Diakite and Jonathan David, who all had one-on-one chances.
Villa began the second half brighter and made it count, albeit with a slice of luck.
Lille pulled a goal back as Bafode Diakite flicked in a header from Angel Gomes' cross
Lille defender Gabriel Gudmundsson had an effort ruled out for offside in the second-half
Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez produced several saves to deny the French side
MATCH FACTS AND RATINGS
Aston Villa (4-4-1-1): Martinez 9; Konsa 6, Carlos 6, Torres 6, Digne 6 (Moreno 74, 5); Bailey 7 (Diaby 74, 5), Tielemans 7 (Iroegbunam 82), Luiz 7, Rogers 6 (Zaniolo 66, 5); McGinn 8; Watkins 8 (Duran 82).
Subs unused: Gauci, Olsen, Kesler-Hayden, Kellyman.
Goals: Watkins 13, McGinn 56
Bookings: Luiz, Tielemans
Manager: Unai Emery 7
Lille (4-2-3-1): Chevalier 7; Santos 6, Yoro 6, Diakite 7 (Alexsandro 87), Ismaily 6; Andre 7, Bentaleb 6; Zhegrova 6 (Yazici 60, 5), Haraldsson 7 (Cabella 78, 6), Gudmundsson 6 (Gomes 78, 5). David 6.
Subs unused: Mannone, Negrel, Cavaleiro, Morais, Bouaddi, Toure, Ferrah.
Goals: Diakite 84
Manager: Paulo Fonseca 6
Referee: Espen Eskas 6
AdvertisementDouglas Luiz played a short corner to Leon Bailey, who slipped as he attempted to cross but McGinn was there on the edge of the box to guide the ball perfectly into the bottom corner.
Lille thought they had pulled one back when Gabriel Gudmundsson volleyed in but VAR ruled it out for offside and there was still time for two more Martinez saves before he was finally beaten by Diakite’s header from a Lille corner.
It was the least the visitors deserved for their efforts and left the tie finely poised.
Tags:
Reprint:Friends are welcome to share on the Internet, but please indicate the source of the article when reprinting it.“Planet Perspectives news portal”。http://faroeislands.prpsystems.net/news-49f099945.html
Related articles
Sweden beats France, Britain relegated after losing to Norway at hockey worlds
healthPRAGUE (AP) — Sweden beat France 3-1 to preserve a perfect record at the ice hockey world championsh ...
【health】
Read moreMuseums in N China's Tianjin offer night tours, attract visitors with immersive events
health(People's Daily Online) 13:39, October 10, 2023Museums in north China's Tianjin Municipality launche ...
【health】
Read more339 Ghanaian students receive scholarship for Chinese language proficiency
health(Xinhua) 10:11, December 18, 2023ACCRA, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- A total of 339 Ghanaian students have re ...
【health】
Read more
Popular articles
- Kosovo prepares a new draft law on renting prison cells to Denmark after the first proposal failed
- Corbin Burnes labors through 5 innings against his former team, but keeps Orioles close vs. Brewers
- Chinese embassy in U.S. hosts Discover Beijing Opera cultural event
- Dunhuang elements shine at fashion week
- Amtrak train hits pickup truck in upstate New York, 3 dead including child
- Masataka Yoshida hits 1 of 3 homers for the Red Sox, who beat Angels 5
Latest articles
Amir Khan's £11.5m luxury wedding venue finally hosts its first marriage: Bride arrives on horse
Craft Project fair held in old Damascus, Syria
Tantalize your taste buds with Belt and Road cuisines!
Over 2,000 participate in New Year hiking event in central China
Socialite Jasmine Hartin enjoys beach snuggle with electrician hunk
Over 2,000 participate in New Year hiking event in central China
LINKS
- Kim Kardashian to produce new Netflix series Calabasas alongside Emma Roberts and I. Marlene King
- 1 killed, 9 inured when car collides with county bus in Milwaukee
- Astros right
- King Charles drives Queen Camilla to Crathie Kirk near Balmoral amid cancer treatment
- Caroline Flack's best
- Palace scores 4 goals in opening 31 minutes on way to 5
- Villa boosts push for Champions League qualification with 3
- Kohli reacts angrily to his full
- Danny Dyer 'charges fans nearly £100 for selfie and autograph during meet and greet in Liverpool'
- Israel, Iran show restraint. But for how long?