Aston Villa produced a superb attacking display to end their scoring worries and start their Champions League campaign with a thrilling 3-2 win over Club Brugge.
The Europa League winners had failed to score in their first three Premier League games, having just one shot on target, but their attack clicked in Belgium as John McGinn, Emiliano Buendia and Nicolas Jackson struck to kick-start their season.
Villa had 14 tries in a scintillating first-half performance that began with McGinn expertly deflecting a first-time shot into the bottom-left corner after being set up by Pau Torres, who burst out of defence.
Club Brugge’s expansive approach contributed to a breathless draw and the hosts equalized when Hugo Vetlesen curled a low shot into the corner, although Buendia restored Villa’s lead within three minutes, tapping in from close range after good work from Joao Gomes.
Villa threatened repeatedly on the counter-attack and their third goal came when Jackson raced back to try and latch on to Torres’ long ball forward, beating goalkeeper Yann Sommer to the ball and slotting into an empty net for his first goal since joining in a record £65million move.
The hosts pulled one back just after the hour with Nicolo Tresoldi’s penalty awarded for handball on Aaron Wan-Bissaka after the referee was sent to the pitch monitor, but despite being under huge pressure, Villa held on for the win.
Highlights from the Jan Breydel Stadium…
11: GOAL! McGinn scores Villa’s first goal of the season with a fine finish to the side.
19: EQUALIZER! Vetlesen brings out his inner McGinn by slotting the ball into the bottom right corner.
22: THE VILLA IS BURNING AGAIN! The hosts are level after just three minutes as Buendia arrives to tap home from close range after good work from Gomes.
43: JACKSON scores! The striker caps Villa’s excellent attacking performance by beating Sommer to the ball and slotting into an open net.
61: GOAL! Play continues as Tresoldi scores a penalty following Wan-Bissaka’s handball.
69: WOOD WORKS! Emery makes three tackles before Villa is on hand to save a corner and then Tresoldi’s header from the set piece is pushed onto the post by Suzuki.
82: OUT OF LINE! Bogarde can’t wrap up the win for Villa as his shot is cleared.
What does the result mean and the next matches…
