Club Brugge 1 Aston Villa 3: Aston Villa take charge of Champions League tie as they weather storm to beat Belgians

ASTON VILLA have one foot in the Champions League quarter-finals – thanks to Brugge’s masked avenger Brandon Mechele!

The Brugge defender with the protective face mask blundered horribly to divert Morgan Rogers’ low cross beyond Simon Mignolet eight minutes from full-time to gift Villa a 2-1 lead.

Leon Bailey netted the opener inside three minutesCredit: Rex

Maxim De Cuyper fired the hosts levelCredit: Reuters

Tyrone Mings made a vital goal-line clearance at 1-1Credit: Reuters

Morgan Rogers helped restore the lead as he forced in an own-goalCredit: EPA

Marco Asensio made sure from the spotCredit: AFPAnd Unai Emery’s men were celebrating again six minutes later following another self-inflicted wound by Brugge when attacker Christos Tzolis panicked in his own box to send Matty Cash tumbling.

Super-sub Marco Asensio kept his cool to beat Mignolet from the penalty spot to nab his FIFTH Villa goal and leave Brugge with one almighty hangover in the beer capital of the world!

Meanwhile Villa can start popping the champagne corks after holding their nerve with a dogged display on the road. 

Only an absolute meltdown at Villa Park can now stop Villa from setting up a mouth-watering quarter-final showdown with Liverpool or Emery’s former club Paris Saint Germain.

They survived the bearpit atmosphere of Brugge’s Jan Breydelstadion and will be licking their lips at the prospect of facing the Belgians on home turf, where they are unbeaten in 14 matches.

Especially with Asensio in the scoring form of his life!

Villa couldn’t have wished for a better start as they seized the lead after only three minutes.

It was a goal of stunning simplicity which left Brugge’s players hanging their heads in shame.

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Former Anderlecht star Youri Tielemans was booed from the first whistle by Brugge’s rowdy fans, who clearly have long memories.

But the Belgian silenced his noisy critics by delivering the long free kick into the box which Tyrone Mings nodded down.

And there was Leon Bailey waiting to pounce with a sweetly struck left foot shot on the half-volley which sped beyond Simon Mignolet into the far corner.

It was a peach of a goal and the ideal start for Villa who appeared to have taken the tie by the scruff of the neck.

Marcus Rashford, starting a Champions League tie for the first time since he was sent off for Manchester United against Copenhagen in November 2023 was next to show.

The on-loan Villa winger worked a neat one-two with Bailey then fired in a low shot which was kept out by Mignolet’s legs.

But all of Villa’s promising early work was spectacularly undone three minutes later as Brugge exposed Villa’s fragile defence to snatch a speedy equaliser.

Ardon Jashari picked the ball up in space in midfield and had time to get his head up and pick out Christos Tzolis with a raking crossfield pass which sailed over Axel Disasi’s head.

Tzolis sucked Disasi in before cutting the ball back to Maxim De Cuyper who caused Maximum damage to Villa by sweeping the ball beyond Emi Martinez’s outstretched glove and into the far corner.

That sparked bedlam in the ramshackle concrete bowl that is the 

Former Norwich City winger Christos Tzolis gave away the penaltyCredit: Rex

Asensio netted Villa’s third of the gameCredit: Reuters

The West Midlands side are in a strong position ahead of the second legCredit: Getty

Unai Emery picked up a yellow card during the matchCredit: GettyJan Breydelstadion as the home fans went bonkers.

Once again Villa’s defending was called into question as Leon Bailey failed to go with De Cuyper’s run and Disasi should have been better positioned to cut out the initial booming ball out of defence.

Both sides had managed to wound their opponents in the early skirmishes and appeared to be wary of each other’s attacking threat.

So the game descended into something of a dour midfield struggle.

Villa have made it to half-time on level terms – thanks to the brilliance of Emi Martinez.

The Villa and World’s No.1 showed fantastic reflexes just beyond the half hour mark to get down to his right to keep out Chemsdine Talbi’s low shot which was hurtling towards his net.

It was a tight, nervy affair which had Unai Emery at his animated best on the touchline, waving his arms around in a frenzy.

Rashford was having a decent tussle with Bruges kid right back Kyriani Sabbe, who he managed to power by just before half-time.

But the winger was tight to the touchline and his cross flew into Mignolet’s chest. 

At half-time most Villa fans were asking how long Emery would wait before sending for Marco Asensio who had the class and experience to win this tie for the visitors.

The game had now descended into a scrappy affair with both sides desperate to keep things tight after those early goals.

Emi Martinez showed his class again to pluck a fiercely hit Onyedika drive from 25 yards out from under his crossbar, making it look easy.

But with just over an hour played Emery had seen enough and made a QUADRUPLE substitution which 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 substitute appearances in the competition.

And the Spaniard almost marked the occasion with a goal when he smashed Jacob Ramsey’s cutback towards goal, forcing Mignolet to beat the ball high into the air.

It dropped to Cash but the full-back slashed wildly over and held his head in his hands in despair.

At the other end Villa were living dangerously and Vanaken came within a fraction of heading Brugge in front with an attempt which grazed the far post with Martinez beaten.

Then Tzolis screwed his shot hopelessly wide after Vanaken set him up with a clever flick.

Emery was booked for losing the plot on the touchline.

But the Spaniard was soon celebrating a famous late double as Villa seized this tie by the throat.