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BRU vs AVL

UEFA Champions League

Jan Breydel Stadium, Bruges

Club Brugge

vs

Aston Villa

1
FT
3
(1st Leg)
12' M. de Cuyper
3' L. Bailey
82' B. Mechele (OG)
88' M. Asensio
Action
Lineups
All
Facts Only
All
Full-Time: 1 - 3
That wraps things up here on Tribe, thanks for joining us. A great start to the round of 16 ties and there's three more on the way in just a few minutes time. Head over now to follow what unfolds between Dortmund and Lille, PSV and Arsenal and Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid. See you next time.
Club Brugge return to action in Belgium with a short trip to Cercle Brugge on Sunday before next Wednesday's second leg. They will hope to close the gap on league leaders Genk there. Aston Villa travel to Brentford on Saturday as they aim to climb up the Premier League from 10th and ensure more European nights like this next season. With just six points between themselves and 3rd a positive result could have a huge effect. The winners of this tie next week will face Liverpool or Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-finals.
Aston Villa weren't at their free-flowing attacking best tonight but ultimately they will be delighted to come away with a two-goal lead after those late sucker punch goals. It was all a bit flat until Unai Emery made four changes off the bench for the final quarter. Marco Asensio and Jacob Ramsey both injected new ideas going forward for Villa and added a bit of urgency. Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings kept things solid defensively in the middle all night and restricted Club Brugge to a mere handful of chances. That gave Villa the platform to take advantage of the good fortune that came their way in the final 10 minutes. The chance to make the last eight in Europe's top club competition for the first time in over 40 years now feels like a real possibility.
Club Brugge equipped themselves well tonight for 80 minutes and looked set to take the game to Villa Park next week all square. If anything they seemed the side most likely to find a late winner. Two moments of their own making went against them late on though to leave them with a mountain to climb in the second leg. Brandon Mechele did what he thought was needed to prevent Ollie Watkins getting on the end of a dangerous low cross from Morgan Rogers, but he could only divert the ball past Simon Mignolet. Christos Tzolis then decided to try and bring a cross down in his own penalty area and gifted Matty Cash the ball before gifting Villa a golden chance from the spot. Before then he was so impressive tonight attacking down Club Brugge's left. Hans Vanaken had a golden chance earlier on to make it 2-1 but guided a free header agonisingly wide from six yards. It's fine margins at this level but Nicky Hayen can still be proud of his side's performance here.
A huge result for Aston Villa sees them depart Belgium with a two-goal lead from this first leg. They have gained revenge for the defeat they suffered here in the league phase and will start as heavy favourites on home soil in next week's second leg. A disastrous late own goal from Brandon Mechele was followed by Christos Tzolis giving away a penalty that Marco Asensio duly converted. Before then it seemed Villa were content to come away with a 1-1 draw. Club Brugge will be devastated.
90+4'
Perhaps out of frustration at the chance he just missed Hugo Vetlesen clips the heels of Jacob Ramsey and concedes a free kick on halfway. That should be that for this first leg.
90+3'
OVER! Ardon Jashari plays a lovely through ball down the left channel for Maxim De Cuyper to run onto at the edge of the Villa penalty area. De Cuyper sets it up nicely for Hugo Vetlesen running in down the middle. Vetlesen can't get over his strike though and scoops it over the bar from 18 yards. A big late chance for the hosts to cut the deficit.
90+1'
Changes for both sides as we enter FOUR additional minutes. Ollie Watkins is replaced by Lamare Bogarde for Aston Villa. Michal Skoras and Hugo Vetlesen come on for Club Brugge as Kyriani Sabbe and Raphael Onyedika are withdrawn.
90+1'
L. Bogarde
O. Watkins