Aston Villa Beat Club Brugge 3-2 in Champions League Opener

Aston Villa opened their Champions League campaign with a 3-2 victory away to Club Brugge, scoring three times before halftime and then surviving a sustained second-half response. The Guardian reported that the result was Villa’s first win of the season after they had collected their first Premier League point at the weekend.

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John McGinn put Villa ahead in the 11th minute after centre-back Pau Torres advanced to the edge of the penalty area and moved the ball wide. McGinn met it first time with his left foot and guided his finish beyond Club Brugge goalkeeper Yann Sommer into the far corner.

Club Brugge responded through Hugo Vetlesen, who converted Jan Virgili’s delivery with a first-time finish past Villa goalkeeper Zion Suzuki. The home side’s parity lasted less than three minutes. Nicolas Jackson used a backheel to involve João Gomes, whose pass found Emiliano Buendía for Villa’s second goal.

Jackson then scored his first Villa goal shortly before the interval. Torres launched a pass from near Villa’s penalty area into the opposition half, allowing Jackson to split centre-backs Lee Han-beom and Brandon Mechele. Sommer rushed well outside his goal, but Jackson took the ball around him, resisted Lee’s challenge and finished into the empty net to make it 3-1.

The contest tightened after a video assistant referee review led referee Sandro Schärer to award Club Brugge a penalty for handball against Aaron Wan-Bissaka. Nicolò Tresoldi converted from the spot, sending Suzuki the wrong way. Tresoldi later forced Suzuki into a strong right-handed save that diverted his shot against the post as the Belgian side pressed for an equalizer.

Villa also had opportunities to extend their lead during the second half. Jackson got a shot away after reaching a McGinn pass, while Club Brugge full-back Joaquin Seys cleared Lamare Bogarde’s attempt off the line. Unai Emery’s side held on through the late pressure, completing a 3-2 win after a match in which all five goals came from confirmed scoring plays and Villa’s decisive advantage was built during a three-goal first half.