Aston Villa will be favorites to continue to the quarterfinals of the Champions League after scoring two late goals to beat Club Brugge in Belgium.
Match report
Leon Bailey had given the Premier League club a lightning design in the last-16 legs of the first Poten-Villas first knockout draw in the most important competition of European football since the quarterfinals of 1982-83.
Bailey marked his return to Belgium with a goal when the former Genk player produced a lush half volley after just two minutes and 15 seconds, after a head aid from Tyrone Mings.
It was a satisfactory moment for Mings after the defender of England had given away an unnecessary fine for handball when these parties met in the group stage in November, which led to Club Brugge scored the only purpose of the game.
But Villa's lead lasted only 10 minutes, with the Cuyper leveling with a low finish, shortly after Marcus Rashford on the other side was refused by the former Liverpool -goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.
In a tight and tense game, home captain Hans Vanaken was painfully close to bringing 2-1 in the 69th minute, but went wide before ex-Norwich player Christos Tzolis wasted a big chance, who blows eight meters.
Villa, however, scored two goals in six minutes to take a great lead back to Birmingham
Brandon Mechele placed his own keeper in the 82nd minute past his own keeper while stretching a cross from Morgan Rogers to make villa forward and then replace Marco Asensio, 3-1 of the penalty spot after Matty Cash was polluted.
The return bone is located in Villa Park on Wednesday 12 March (20:00 GMT).
Line-ups
Club Brugge XI: Mignolet, Vanaken, Mechele, Ferran Jutglà, Maxim de Cuyper, Christos Tzolis, Ardon Jashari, Raphael Onyedika, Joel Ordóñez, Kyriani Sabbe, Chemsdine Talbi
Subs: Casper Nielsen, Nordin Jackers, Gustaf Nilsson, Hugo Vet lessons, Michal Skoras, Hugo Siquet, Zaid Romero, Romeo Vermant, Jorne Spileers, Shandre Campbell
Aston Villa XI: E. Martinez, Digne, McGinn, Mings, Tielemans, Ollie Watkins, Disasi, Bailey, Rashford, Ngoyo, Morgan Rogers
Subs: R. Olsen, Asensio, P. Torres, Kamara, Matty Cash, Maatssen, Jacob Ramsey, Oliwier Zych, Lamare Bogarde
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