Key events
Aha, our match report is in…
…which means that’s it from me. Thanks for your company and comments, and do join Billy Munday for Forest v Midtjylland.
But otherwise, peace out.
[Extremely Mike Goldberg voice] Coming up next:
Scores from elsewhere
Stuttgart 1-2 Porto (90+8)
Bologna 1-1 Roma (FT)
Panathinaikos 1-0 Real Betis (FT)
I can’t say I was at all impressed with Lille. They created almost nothing, despite trying hard so to do, and it’s hard to see Villa capsizing in the return; a simply sensible performance will be enough to see them into the last eight.
FULL TIME: Lille 0-1 Aston Villa
A colossal win for Villa, not just in terms of this tie but as regards their season. They take a narrow lead into the home leg, coming up next Thursday night.
90+5 min But Lille win a throw and Bouaddi turns on the ball nicely, sliding in behind for Fernandez-Pardo … who goes down in a challenge with Konsa. There are howls for a penalty, but the defender did everything he could to be physical without making an obvious foul, and the ref says nothing doing.
90+4 min Villa have men forward but, perhaps learning from what happened to Newcastle seeking a second goal against Barca, they keep possession by moving backwards.
90+3 min A long ball … headed away by Bogarde, whose position was good. Quietly, he’s enjoyed an impressive evening.
90+2 min Digne boots Correia and is booked.
90+1 This hasn’t been an easy game, but is one we should expect Villa to win – they’re fourth in the Prem, whereas Lille are sixth in Ligue 1, and it’s barely possible to compare the money spent on the relative squads. Still, you’ve still got to do it and they were strong enough at the back, then took the chance when it materialised.
90 min “There are 13 seconds left, it’s your big chance, Harvey lad.” Elliott replaces Rogers and Villa are nearly there; we’ll have five additional minutes.
88 min Martinez is booked for timewasting, of course he is.
87 min Bouaddi digs out a decent reverse-pass, finding Correia on the right of the box and he feints, then turns inside Torres, who slides off towards Lens. But he needs to take another touch or two before poling a shot which Martinez saves, the rebound won’t fall to Giroud however much he makes eyes at it, and then the flag goes up.
86 min If Villa can hold on here, it’ll do wonders for their confidence – and things don’t get calmer because they go to Old Trafford at the weekend, then have the return, but excuse me while I interrupt myself!
85 min Villa win a free-kick down the right and McGinn decides this is a left-foot job, Bouaddi beating Bailey to the header, and Lille clear.
83 min Two more Villa changes, Maatsen and Bailey for Sancho and Buendia; Lille try Diaoune for Haraldsson.
82 min Martinez clears long and, when Abraham challenges for it, Rogers picks up the second ball, crossing well to the back post and Buendia is there! But rather than march on to a header, he tries a scissor-kick, able only to divert the effort into the ground and wide.
81 min The home crowd are becoming anxious, roaring shrilly as McGinn rotates on the ball in centrefield, protecting it Roy Keane-style and winning a free-kick. It’s such a simple move – Keane liked to do it with the outside of the boot, whereas this was with the inside – but so effective.
79 min …and Pau glances away then, when Perroud swerves back in, Buendia escorts it behind at cost of a shin to the mid-section from Correia.
79 min Lille win a free-kick out on the right, deep inside the Villa half…
77 min Double change for Villa, McGinn and Abraham for Luiz and Watkins. Emery – and, no doubt, his players – will be delighted to have the skipper back on the park.
76 min Lille look to up it as Villa ready Abraham and McGinn; meantime, Fernandez-Paro moves infield off the left, curls low, hard … and too close to Martinez, who dives to shovel away.
74 min “God damn, somewhere John Toshack has just got a shiver down his spine, writes James Humphries. “That was the sort of goal that’d get scored in the old John Smith’s ads; and, to be clear, I am fully here for it.
SECOND BALL, LADS! (taps temples, chews gum furiously) SECOND BALL!”
“Winners!”
72 min And here they come again, Watkins down the right, crossing … and unable to pick out Rogers. This is a way better game now, Bentaleb spraying a pass out wide seeking to put Correia away … but he went too soon and is offside.
70 min It wasn’t to be that time, but I’d not be at all surprised to see a second Villa goal on the counter.
68 min Ozer comes out and dives as Watkins looks to go around, forcing him to hurdle for if he doesn’t, he’s running through the keeper. That kills the chance, and the question now is whether the keeper diving in the striker’s path is a penalty; on the one hand, he’s put himself there in advance, so no; on the other, if Watkins falls, potentially hurting him, it’s a pen. The ref gives a free-kick to Lille, an outcome I didn’t think was even possible.
68 min Lille put balls into the box but Villa are resolute and when a header finds Rogers, Luiz pokes away and Watkins is in, zooming at goal, no defender able to catch him!
66 min Double change for Lille, Meunier and Correia for Santos and Mukau.
65 min Bogarde wins a big challenge, finding Rogers, who moves out wide to Sancho. His cross is low and driven hard; Lille half-clear, but the ball eventually zips into Onana’s stride, and he lashes a shot that clips the very outside of the near post. Suddenly, Villa are on a buzz.
64 min My coverage drops out, but we’re back now, just in time to see Giroud scythe down Konsa and share some accordant sentiments with the ref; Lille are feeling the pressure.
GOAL! Lille 0-1 Aston Villa (Watkins 61)
A long, diag down the middle from Konsa, Buendia leaps with the much large Mukau, a great effort, and between them they send the ball lobbing into the box where Watkins, maybe 15 yards out, has the presence of mind to cushion a header over Ozer and in! He’s taken that beautifully, and it’s a reward for all the futile runs he’s spent the last hour making. Huge moment in the tie.
61 min bentaleb coaxes a ball into the box and Giroud is underneath it … but he mistimes his jump sop can only float a header that plops into Martinez’s hands … then the flag goes up.
59 min Onana slides in to intercept and the ball leathers Perroud in the coupon. He needs a moment, but he’ll be fine.
57 min Lille push Vill back but can’t fid space in behind, Bouaddi wafting a ball forward that’s easily cleared before Mandi slides in behind, to no one.
56 min Onana goes down but looks to be fine; Emery will be relieved, because he can’t afford to lose another midfielder. I’d like to see more from this one, though – he’s got the physique and feet to take the ball off the defence and drive forward, but we do’t see it often enough.
54 min With the away-goals rule gone, 0-0 would be a pretty decent result for Villa, though, as I type, Fernandez-Pardo floats down the left and crosses … straight into Martinez’s gloves.
52 min Finally, Lille make their change, Fernandez-Pardo replacing Perrin.
51 min Perrin is desperate to go off but Villa keep playing, Pau into Luiz who flicks cleverly around the corner only for Buendia to misplace the next pass.
