Late goals put Villa in command of Champions League tie against Brugge

BRUGES, Belgium — Aston Villa manager Unai Emery insisted his team still has work to do to reach the Champions League quarterfinals despite a commanding 3-1 victory away to Club Brugge in the first leg of their last-16 tie on Tuesday.

Two late goals, including a Marco Asensio penalty, gave Villa the victory in Belgium to puncture the hopes of the host who performed so well for so long.

Leon Bailey's early opener for Villa at the Jan Breydelstadion was soon canceled out by a Maxim De Cuyper leveler.

Club Brugge had been more than a match for its Premier League visitor, but Brandon Mechele's 82nd-minute own goal restored Villa's lead.

Asensio, on as a substitute, then converted an 88th-minute penalty, his fifth goal in four games wrapping up the victory which puts the 1982 European Cup winner in a very strong position.

"Today I am happy but calm," Emery said.

"We are not in the quarterfinals. There are still 90 minutes to play and we are ready in case we need extra time and a penalty shoot-out because I know how many difficulties there can be in each match."

If Emery's team completes the job at Villa Park next Wednesday, its reward will be a quarterfinal against Paris Saint-Germain or Liverpool.

Villa qualified directly for this stage after finishing eighth in the league phase, but it lost 1-0 in Bruges in early November, a game from which Emery learned lessons.

"After the match we played here in November, they have been performing very well," he said.

"They have a very good structure with the ball, and we decided to respect them when they have possession, and the most important thing was how we competed."

That last meeting was decided by a Hans Vanaken penalty after Tyrone Mings bizarrely picked the ball up in his own area.

Mings will be pleased to have played a part in the third-minute goal which put Villa in front in that same box.

He met a freekick into the Brugge area with a header down for Bailey to score with a controlled finish past goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.

Club Brugge has shown this season that it can compete at this level, notably dispatching Atalanta 5-2 on aggregate in the play-offs last month.

The host was soon level, as Greek international Christos Tzolis collected the ball on the left and laid it back to De Cuyper, who sent a first-time shot into the far corner.

It then almost went ahead as Emiliano Martinez made a vital save to deny Chemsdine Talbi.

Raphael Onyedika tried a powerful strike from range early in the second half, and Emery then sought to stir his subdued side by making a quadruple substitution just past the hour.

Marcus Rashford was among the players to come off, after he was quiet on the left wing in his first Champions League appearance since being sent off for Manchester United in a 4-3 defeat in Copenhagen in November 2023.

One of those coming on was Asensio, another of Villa's winter signings, who started on the bench despite excellent recent form.

"Their response was fantastic," Emery said of the replacements, with Jacob Ramsey, Boubacar Kamara and Matty Cash also introduced.

"We created a lot of chances, but unfortunately we conceded an own goal and then of course five minutes later the penalty, and it makes the return much more difficult," said Brugge coach Nicky Hayen.

"Despite the result I think we played a positive game and we have to remember that when we go there next Wednesday."

AFP