Aston Villa showcased their resilience and determination as they clinched a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Lille in the first leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League clash at Villa Park.
Ollie Watkins continued his impressive form by finding the net with a towering header, while captain John McGinn added to the scoreline with a sublime curling shot from the edge of the box, both goals stemming from set-pieces.
However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing for Villa, as they faced relentless pressure from an attacking Lille side. Emiliano Martinez proved instrumental in goal, pulling off a series of outstanding saves to keep his team in the lead. Lille’s attacking prowess was evident as they managed to breach Villa’s defense, with Bafode Diakite’s header from a corner bringing the visitors within striking distance at 2-1.
VAR controversy added to the drama, with Lille seeing a goal disallowed for a razor-thin offside decision. Despite the setback, Lille’s spirited performance ensured that the tie remains finely poised heading into the second leg.
Looking ahead, the winners of this tie will progress to face either Olympiacos or Fenerbahce in the semi-finals. With Olympiacos holding a slender 3-2 lead after their home leg, the prospect of facing either side presents another challenging hurdle for Villa as they continue their European campaign.
TNT Sports commentator was in awe of Aston Villa captain John McGinn
Captain John McGinn led by example when he steered home Villa’s second 56 minutes into the game. TNT Sports commentator Paul Dempsey was impressed with the Scotsmans goal.
Magnificent John McGinn doubles Aston Villa's lead ?#UECL
? @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/4fOFxo2Ogx
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 11, 2024
Dempsey said: “Magnificent John McGinn. It was pretty special. When you’ve got the technical ability of McGinn, even when the ball is fizzed at you on the edge of the box, you can just pass it into the net. Great little curl into the bottom corner, passed into the net.”