Aston Villa hit two goals in the final 10 minutes to put one foot in the Champions League quarter-finals after a 3-1 win against Club Brugge in the last-16 first leg.
Villa are enjoying a dream debut season in Europe’s premier club competition and only a second-leg collapse on home soil next Wednesday will deny them a last-eight meeting with either Liverpool or Paris St Germain.
The tone for a glorious night in Belgium was set after just 135 seconds when Leon Bailey fizzed his side in front.
Maxim De Cuyper had brought Brugge level in the 12th minute and for a long time it looked like it would end all square.
OWN GOAL!! 🫣
Disaster for Mechele and Brugge, as Aston Villa take the lead away from home! 💥
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— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 4, 2025
But Brandon Mechele’s 82nd-minute own goal was followed by Marco Asensio’s penalty six minutes later as Villa grabbed the tie with both hands.
Boss Unai Emery has been at pains to insist his side are not favourites but Villa fans will be daring to dream after a famous night.
There was also a moment of redemption for Tyrone Mings 118 days after his embarrassing error, where he inexplicably picked up a goal kick in the penalty area, sent Villa to defeat here in November’s league phase match.
He set up Bailey’s opener and then produced a sensational goal-saving clearance which swung the balance of the match.
Mings’ night got off to a much better start than last time he was at the Jan Breydelstadion as he helped Villa into the lead with less than three minutes on the clock.
He headed Youri Tielemans’ free-kick back across goal and Bailey produced a fine first-time finish into the bottom corner.
Marcus Rashford, still searching for that elusive first goal for his new club, was denied by the legs of Simon Mignolet after a one-two with Bailey.
It had been a positive start but it was undone as Brugge scored all too easily in the 12th minute.
A long ball turned their defence and Christos Tzolis pulled it back to De Cuyper to find the bottom corner.
Villa had lost all of their early control and needed a fine save from Emiliano Martinez to deny the hosts the lead as the Argentinian goalkeeper got down brilliantly to keep out Chemsdine Talbi’s drilled effort.
The game turned into a stand-off as neither side were willing to go all-out to win the tie, knowing the second leg was to come next week.
Villa threw on three-time Champions League winner Asensio just after the hour and he almost delivered immediately.
Fellow substitute Jacob Ramsey teed him up on the left and the Spaniard’s fierce shot was palmed away by Mignolet, with Matty Cash skying the rebound over.
But then Villa had an escape at the other end thanks to a heroic piece of defending from Mings.
Hans Vanaken’s header at the far post was destined to go in until Mings got the slightest of touches to divert the ball behind.
BEST GOAL-LINE CLEARANCE EVER??? 😱
Tyrone Mings stops Hans Vanaken from giving Brugge the lead in SPECTACULAR style 🤯
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— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 4, 2025
The game opened up as Brugge searched for an advantage and Tzolis blazed over from a good position.
But Villa struck with two goals in six minutes.
First, Mechele put through his own net from close range after Morgan Rogers sent in a dangerous delivery from the right.
Then, Asensio coolly converted from the spot after Cash had been fouled by Tzolis.
Brugge could have cut the deficit at the death but Hugo Vetlesen skied from 16 yards to leave the Belgian side with it all to do in Birmingham next week.
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