Aston Villa produced a superb attacking display to end their scoring concerns and begin 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 matches, having had just one shot on target, but their attack clicked in Belgium as John McGinn, Emiliano Buendia and Nicolas Jackson struck to kickstart their season.
Villa had 14 efforts in a scintillating first-half performance that began with McGinn expertly side-footing a trademark first-time shot into the bottom left corner after being set up by Pau Torres’ driving run out of defence.
Club Brugge’s expansive approach contributed to a breathless tie and the hosts equalised when Hugo Vetlesen swept a low shot into the corner, although Buendia restored Villa’s lead within three minutes, tapping in from close range following good work by Joao Gomes.
Villa threatened constantly on the counter-attack and their third goal came when Jackson ran in behind to try and latch onto 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 club-record £65m move.
The hosts pulled one back just after the hour mark through Nicolo Tresoldi’s penalty, awarded for handball on Aaron Wan-Bissaka after the referee was sent to the pitchside monitor, but despite coming under heavy pressure, Villa held on for the victory.
More to follow…
What the result means and next fixtures…
