Aston Villa has one foot in the quarterfinals of the Champions League – thanks to Bruges's masked Avenger Brandon Mechele!
The Bruges defender with the protective face mask blundered terribly to lead the low cross of Morgan Rogers further beyond Simon Mignolet eight minutes from full-time to gift Villa a 2-1 lead.
And the men of Unai Emery celebrated again six minutes later after another self -inflicted wound by Bruges when attacker Christos Tzolis panicked in his own box to panic to make Matty Cash tumbled.
Super-sub Marco Asensio kept his cool to beat Mignolet from the penalty spot to get his fifth villa goal and to leave Bruges with one almighty hangover in the beer capital of the world!
In the meantime, Villa can make the Champagne corks pop after holding their nerve with a chased display on the road.
Only an absolute meltdown in Villa Park can now prevent Villa from having a glorious quarter-final confrontation with Liverpool or Emery's former club Paris Saint Germain.
They survived the BearPit atmosphere of Bruges's Jan Breydel Stadium and will lick their lips with the prospect of standing opposite the Belgians on home field, where they are unbeaten in 14 games.
Especially with Asensio in the scoring form of his life!
Villa could not have wished for a better start, because they took the lead after just three minutes.
It was a goal of stunning simplicity that caused the players of Bruges to shame their heads.
Former other -sterar Youri Tielemans was booed from the first whistle by Brugge's Rowdy fans, who clearly have long memories.
But the Belgian silent his noisy critics by delivering the long free kick in the box that tinked Tyrone Mings down.
And Leon Bailey was waiting for jumping with a sweet left key in the half volley that rushed past Simon Mignolet in the far corner.
It was a peach of a goal and the ideal start for Villa that seemed to have taken the neck.
Marcus Rashford, who for the first time started a Champions League -similar game since he was sent away for Manchester United against Copenhagen in November 2023, was the next one to show.
The on-Loan Villa-wing player worked a neat one-two with Bailey and then shot in a low shot that was kept out of Mignolet's legs.
But all the promising early work of Villa was spectacularly undone three minutes later when Bruges exposed the fragile defense of Villa to grab a quick equalizer.
Ardon Jashari picked up the ball in the room in midfield and had time to get his head up and choose Christos Tzolis with a rake Crossfield Pass that sailed over Axel Disasi's head.
Tzolis sucked in Disasi before cuting the ball back to Maxim de Cuyper that caused maximum damage to villa by wiping the ball past the vast glove by Emi Martinez and in the far corner.
That led to bedlam in the rickety concrete bowl that the
Jan Breydel Stadium while the home fans went crazy.
Again, Villa's defense was questioned when Leon Bailey did not go with the Run of the Cuyper and Disasi should have been placed better to cut the first flowering ball out of the defense.
Both parties had succeeded in injuring their opponents in the early skirmishes and seemed to be wary of each other's attacking threat.
So the game descended into something of a midfield disorders.
Villa has achieved the rest on level – conditions – thanks to the sparkle of EMI Martinez.
The villa and the no. 1 of the world showed fantastic reflexes just after half an hour to come to his right to keep the low shot of Chemsdine Talbi out that touched his net.
It was a tight, nervous affair that Unai Emery had on his animated best on the touchline, with his arms swinging around in a frenzy.
Rashford immediately had a decent struggle with Bruges Kid back Kyriani Sabbe, whom he succeeded in powering just before the break.
But the wing player was tight against the touchline and his cross flew in the chest of Mignolet.
During the break, most Villa fans asked how long Emery would wait before they sent to Marco Asensio who had the class and experience to win this draw for the visitors.
The game had now descended in a filthy affair with both parties desperately to keep things tight after those early goals.
Emi Martinez again showed his class to pick a bright hit Onyedika Drive from 25 meters under his crossbar, making it easy to look.
But with just over an hour, Emery had seen enough and made a four -time replacement that paid off spectacularly.
Matty Cash, Jacob Ramsey, Boubacar Kamara and Marco Asensio replaced Disasi, Rashford, Bailey and McGinn.
That gave Asensio a place in the Champions League record books as the first player to make 50 replacement performances in the competition.
And the Spaniard almost marked the opportunity with a goal when he hit Jacob Ramsey's cut to the goal and Mignolet forced the ball to hit the ball high.
It fell in cash, but the full-back cut wildly and kept his head in his hands in despair.
On the other hand, Villa lived dangerous and Vanaken came in a fraction of the head of the Bruges at the front with an attempt that understood the distant pole with Martinez.
Then Tzolis fucked his shot hopelessly wide after Vanaken sets him up with a smart film.
Emery was booked for losing the plot on the touchline.
But the Spaniard soon celebrated a famous late double when Villa seized this draw by the throat.
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