Aston Villa will host Club Brugge in the second leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie with a two-goal lead after winning 3-1 at the Jan Breydel Stadium tonight.
Leon Bailey opened the scoring in the third minute, finishing past Simon Mignolet after Tyrone Mings headed the ball across from Youri Tielemans’ free-kick.
Villa were only ahead for nine minutes as Maxim De Cuyper equalised after being picked out by Christos Tzolis from the left.
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Emi Martinez made a top save to deny Chemsdine Talbi towards the end of the first half after the goalkeeper got down quickly to push the ball to safety.
Unai Emery didn't make any changes at half-time, but introduced four players in the 64th minute as Matty Cash, Boubacar Kamara, Jacob Ramsey and Marco Asensio came on for Axel Disasi, John McGinn, Marcus Rashford and Bailey.
Just moments after coming on, Ramsey rolled the ball back for Asensio in the box, but the Spaniard's effort was saved by Simon Mignolet.
Down the other end, Hans Vanaken's header drifted narrowly past Martinez's far post after Mings flicked the ball away from the target. Then, with 15 minutes left to play, Tzolis fired over from inside the box after being found in space.
Villa restored the lead in the 82nd minute when Brandon Mechele turned Morgan Rogers' cross into the back of his own net.
Cash then won a penalty a few minutes later, which Asensio converted to give Villa a strong lead heading into the second leg.
Player ratings
Emi Martinez
Martinez made a brilliant stop to deny Talbi just over 10 minutes before half-time, before making more routine saves in the second period. 7
Axel Disasi
Disasi made his third appearance for Villa since joining on loan from Chelsea and played from right-back. Faced by Tzolis, Disasi celebrated after slowing the winger down and then blocking a cross in the 24th minute. It was a strong display from the Frenchman. 8
Ezri Konsa
Konsa played alongside his most familiar centre-back partner in Mings. He dealt with Ferran Jutgla's threat and kept a lid on the forward. 7
Tyrone Mings
Mings came back into the starting side to face Brugge after missing the win over Cardiff and being on the bench against Crystal Palace last week. After assisting Bailey's opener, Mings defended the box well, winning headers and making clearances when crosses came in. He made a crucial intervention to flick Vanaken's header wide of the post in the second half. 9*
Lucas Digne
Brugge's tricky winger Chemsdine Talbi caused plenty of problems for Atalanta in the knockout play-offs, so Digne had his work cut out this evening. 7
Youri Tielemans
It was Tielemans' delivery into the box which Mings helped on before Bailey scored. The Belgian got stuck into duels early on and was in a battle with Vanaken from the get-go. 7
John McGinn
McGinn continued in the double pivot alongside Tielemans. The captain resisted Brugge's press well and helped keep Villa in control at various stages of the match. 7
Leon Bailey
This was Bailey's fifth start in Villa's last Champions League games. He scored his second goal of the season to hand Villa an early lead and was a threat throughout the first half. Brugge left-back De Cuyper scored his goal after racing past Bailey to support the Brugge attack before finishing well. 8
Morgan Rogers
Rogers operated in the number 10 role instead of Marco Asensio this evening. After having a limited impact at the start of the first half, he dragged Villa up the field in the 25th minute and flashed the ball across the box. It was his cross which led to Villa's second of the night. 7
Marcus Rashford
Rashford made his first appearance in the Champions League as a Villa player tonight. He was positive from the left and called Mignolet into action soon after Bailey's opener. 6
Ollie Watkins
Watkins faced a difficult task to get the better of centre-back Joel Ordonez, who is one of Brugge's best players. He was crowded out in the 52nd minute when Rogers played the ball into his path in a dangerous position. 6
SUBS:
Matty Cash (for Disasi, 65'): Cash won a penalty late in the second half, which Asensio dispatched. 7
Boubaccar Kamara (for McGinn, 65'): Kamara added energy and bite in the midfield. 6
Jacob Ramsey (for Rashford, 65'): Ramsey was excellent off the bench, linking play in the final third and finding teammates in dangerous positions in the box. 7
Marco Asensio (for Bailey, 65'): Asensio missed a presentable chance to put Villa ahead just after he came on, but got his goal from the spot - that's now five goals in four games. 7
Lamare Bogarde (for Watkins, 90'): N/A
Subs not used: Olsen, Zych, Torres, Maatsen.
GOALS
Aston Villa: Bailey (3'), Mechele OG (82'), Asensio (88')
Club Brugge: De Cuyper (12')
