Aston Villa 2-1 Lille (Watkins 13′, McGinn 56′ | Diakite 84′)
VILLA PARK — Aston Villa will take a one-goal lead to France next week and have Emiliano Martinez to thank for it being any advantage at all.
Under the watch of head coach Paulo Fonseca, who i reported this week is a summer target for West Ham to replace David Moyes, Lille were a constant threat and arguably the better team on Thursday night.
Martinez was on hand to repeatedly deny the French side – as did a tight VAR offside call – in this Europa Conference League quarter-final tie, but Lille finally got what they deserved through Bafode Diakite, a late goal that could yet prove crucial.
Ollie Watkins and John McGinn had put Villa two clear, but ahead of his return to Arsenal on Sunday, this will prove a lasting headache for Unai Emery – who remained an animated figure on the sidelines throughout his 1,000th match as a manager.
The Spaniard was seething at times, but he must surely be grateful for this scoreline, a result that had home fans leaving Villa Park torn – Prince William and George among them.
“It was a difficult match,” Emery said. “We didn’t have the control we wanted. The result is tight, and now another 90 minutes in Europe – and [maybe] extra-time and a penalty shootout.”
And in a week where Villa were the only English side to win in Europe, the chances of fifth place in the Premier League becoming a Champions League spot have taken a hit.
After draws for Arsenal and Manchester City in the Champions League, Liverpool and West Ham losing to Atalanta and Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League has done some damage, with Italy and Germany currently ahead of England in this three-way race for just two extra Champions League spots.
Villa, currently fifth in the Premier League table on goal difference behind Spurs, who have a game in hand, will be left hoping for a change in fortunes next week – or a slip from their top-four rivals.
In the Conference League at least, four matches now stand between Villa and silverware, and in their hunt for a first major trophy this side of the millennium, they will know the job is far from done against an impressive Lille side that harbour top-four ambitions of their own in Ligue 1.
Fonseca’s team were the more threatening of the two early on, but they trailed when Watkins headed in from a corner, the England international taking his tally for the season to 25 goals, becoming the first Villa striker to do so since Dwight Yorke in 1995-96.
Amid the celebrations the cameras then cut to William and George inside this stadium – a reminder that football provides relief for one and all – but rather than giving royalty further reason to cheer in the first half, Villa found themselves under the cosh and required Martinez to bail them out.
The Argentine’s one-on-one prowess arguably delivered Lionel Messi a much-craved World Cup, and here that starfish stance that Peter Schmeichel would be proud of first denied Edon Zhegrova, and then Diakite.
Villa had half-chances to extend their lead, with Watkins finding the side netting and Leon Bailey firing over, before Martinez once more had home fans boasting of their very own “world No 1”, this time keeping out Jonathan David’s low strike.
At that chance Emery then went ballistic in his technical area, kicking an advertising board, while for another job well done Martinez – known for some rather exuberant antics – celebrated that save with a steely look that oozed confidence.
After the break, McGinn had Villa Park rocking when rolling in a second, and after Lille almost changed the outlook of this tie, the smallest of margins leading to Gabriel Gudmundsson’s effort being chalked off for offside, they very much did so in the 84th minute through Diakite, who silenced this ground and gave the visitors what they set out for from the off.
This tie therefore remains very much in the balance. The next instalment of Emery versus Fonseca should prove fascinating, and may dictate which team heads to the semi-final as overall favourite for this trophy.
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/gkslbBZ
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