An “unbelievable” goal-line clearance from Tyrone Mings was hailed as a “turning point” as Aston Villa took a huge step towards the quarter-finals of the Champions League with a 3-1 win at Club Brugge and the centre-back achieved redemption in Belgium.
Former England defender Mings said he has “unfinished business” from his previous trip to Club Brugge, after conceded a bizarre penalty for inexplicably picking up the ball in his own box in Aston Villa’s 1-0 defeat to the same opposition in November.
In the last-16 tie, Unai Emery’s frustration was mounting with hosts Brugge taking charge of the contest after Leon Bailey’s early opener was cancelled out by Maxim De Cuyper and Villa spending long spells on the back foot.
Emi Martinez had already made one excellent save to deny Chemsdine Talbi down low, but the goalkeeper appeared to have been beaten by Hans Vanaken’s downward header in the 79th minute as it was directed back across goal and into the far corner.
However Mings, who was facing his own goal two yards out, managed to get the slightest touch on Vanaken’s header, reaching to get his toe high enough to alter its direction and divert it around the post.
Mings’ touch was so slight that referee Joao Pinheiro pointed for a goal-kick, but its significance became clear when Villa scored two late goals to take a 3-1 lead back to Villa Park for next week’s second leg.
“That’s what we’re there for,” Mings told TNT Sports. “We didn’t defend perfectly tonight but in those key moments it’s important to come out on the right side, which we didn’t last time we were here.
"I was more than happy to come back here and play in this stadium again because I think we had unfinished business. I am very proud of what we have done tonight. I really enjoyed this game. We knew a bit of what to expect.
"The game was exactly as we anticipated. We can be proud of both our defensive and attacking play."
In his commentary on TNT Sports, Ally McCoist described Mings’ clearance as the “save of the season” and “unbelievable”.
McCoist also said it was the “turning point” and Villa punished Club Brugge as Morgan Rogers’ cross was first put into his own net by Brandon Mechele, before Christos Tzolis brought down Matty Cash in the box, giving Marco Asensio the chance add a third from the penalty spot.
Former Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand said of Mings’ clearance: “It was the game-changer. It switched the momentum and Club Brugge are thinking ‘how many chances?’ And then they get sucker-punched.”
Emery said: “It is very important getting experiences. The first experience he had here was not good but today he reacted fantastic, playing focused, serious, saving one action that was a goal.
“We are demanding everyone inside. I am demanding with the players and they have to be demanding themselves.
“Of course I know the difficulties in football and how we can (have) experiences and how we can get better and analyse everything deeply and try and correct it, that is my only target with the players.
“We corrected something from the match we played here. Of course we have to correct something we didn’t do well today here for the next week against Bruges.”
