Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez and his teammates conceded a goal to forget during the first half of their Champions League clash with RB Leipzig.
The visitors were the first to draw first blood at the Red Bull Arena, with John McGinn getting his side of the goal within the first five minutes of the tie.
Leipzig had offered little threat as the match progressed, with Villa content to be on top and looking for their second place.
But against the run of play, Villa saw the score leveled awkwardly just three minutes before the half-hour mark, thanks to some quick thinking from Lois Openda.
The Belgium international was running to collect a long pass from teammate Nicolas Seiwald in Leipzig's half in front of the penalty area, but when Villa defenders and Martinez went to smother the ball they were deceived by the bouncing ball.
Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres, Diego Carlos and Martinez – winner of this year's Yashin Trophy at the Ballon d'Or ceremony – could only watch in horror from his line as Openda kept his cool, smashed the ball past the keeper and hit the ball past the goalkeeper. it into the empty net.
On co-comms for broadcaster Amazon Prime, Alan Shearer said: 'I said too early that they looked very comfortable.
'Everyone was there except the goalkeeper. What the hell was he doing? He just doesn't see Openda going.
“Comes out of his box and thinks the box will get him, but it never does. Terrible mistake. He just doesn't see it coming from his right side.'
The expert later added: 'All their good work was undone by one crazy mistake. In the last 10 to 15 minutes, Leipzig looked better and passed better because that mistake got them into the game.
'Unai Emery will be very angry and upset, but there is still plenty to play for. As time passes (Ollie) Watkins, they will have some joy in the second half. Don't panic yet.'
At half-time, former Germany international Thomas Hitzlsperger agreed it had been a 'moment of stupidity'.
“It was (a moment of stupidity),” he told Amazon Prime. 'It's not a ball where you're under pressure, it's just a simple long ball. All the back four just look at the ball, no one looks or looks at (Lois) Openda. We talked about him before the game about how good he is.
'I don't know why Emi Martinez leaves the goal. There are so many players involved, all of whom could have played a role in preventing the goal. Nobody does that.'
Fans were equally baffled by the display on social media, with one asking: “Emi Martinez… what are you doing?”
Another said: 'What did Martinez do there?'
A third weighed in: 'My god, what a terrible goal to concede. Martinez and Carlos just stare at each other. Shocking.'
While Aston Villa currently sits in ninth place in the Champions League rankings, the revamped competition phase has made few teams certain of qualification.
Only the top eight clubs are guaranteed safe passage to the knockout stages once the first phase ends.
Teams nine to 24 will have to endure play-off matches early next year, something head coach Unai Emery could ill afford to add to the already packed Premier League calendar.
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