Aston Villa secured a crucial 3-1 victory against Club Brugge in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League round of 16 tie on Tuesday night. Two late goals, including a Marco Asensio penalty, gave the Premier League side a strong advantage heading into the second leg at Villa Park.
The match started with an early breakthrough for Aston Villa. In the third minute, England defender Tyrone Mings played a key role, heading down a free-kick inside the box, allowing Leon Bailey to slot a controlled shot past Brugge goalkeeper Simon Mignolet. However, the hosts responded well, leveling the score through Maxim De Cuyper. The full-back arrived in the right position to fire a precise first-time shot past Emiliano Martinez.
Brugge nearly took the lead when Chemsdine Talbi found himself with a clear chance inside the box, but Martinez reacted quickly to make a crucial save. Raphael Onyedika also tested Villa with a powerful long-range effort early in the second half. In an effort to spark his side into life, Villa manager Unai Emery made four substitutions just after the hour mark.
Among those introduced was Marco Asensio, who had been in excellent form but started on the bench. The Spanish forward nearly made an immediate impact, connecting with a Jacob Ramsey assist, only for Mignolet to deny him with a sharp save.
Despite a strong performance from Club Brugge, fortune turned against them in the 82nd minute. Brandon Mechele accidentally turned a Morgan Rogers cross into his own net, handing Villa the lead. Things went from bad to worse for the Belgian side when Christos Tzolis tripped Matty Cash inside the penalty area just minutes later. Asensio confidently stepped up and converted from the spot in the 88th minute, securing the victory for the visitors.
