Key events<\/p>\n
Show key events only<\/p>\n
Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature<\/p>\n
Aha, our match report is in\u2026<\/p>\n
\u2026which means that\u2019s it from me. Thanks for your company and comments, and do join Billy Munday for Forest v Midtjylland.<\/p>\n
But otherwise, peace out.<\/p>\n
Share<\/a>Share<\/a><\/p>\n [Extremely Mike Goldberg voice] Coming up next:<\/p>\n Share<\/a>Scores from elsewhere<\/p>\n Stuttgart 1-2 Porto (90+8)<\/p>\n Bologna 1-1 Roma (FT)<\/p>\n Panathinaikos 1-0 Real Betis (FT)<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n I can\u2019t say I was at all impressed with Lille<\/a>. They created almost nothing, despite trying hard so to do, and it\u2019s hard to see Villa capsizing in the return; a simply sensible performance will be enough to see them into the last eight.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>FULL TIME: Lille 0-1 Aston Villa<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90+5 min But Lille<\/a> win a throw and Bouaddi turns on the ball nicely, sliding in behind for Fernandez-Pardo \u2026 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.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90+3 min A long ball \u2026 headed away by Bogarde, whose position was good. Quietly, he\u2019s enjoyed an impressive evening.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90+2 min Digne boots Correia and is booked.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90+1 This hasn\u2019t been an easy game, but is one we should expect Villa to win \u2013 they\u2019re fourth in the Prem, whereas Lille<\/a> are sixth in Ligue 1, and it\u2019s barely possible to compare the money spent on the relative squads. Still, you\u2019ve still got to do it and they were strong enough at the back, then took the chance when it materialised.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 90 min \u201cThere are 13 seconds left, it\u2019s your big chance, Harvey lad.\u201d Elliott replaces Rogers and Villa are nearly there; we\u2019ll have five additional minutes.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 88 min Martinez is booked for timewasting, of course he is.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 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\u2019t fall to Giroud however much he makes eyes at it, and then the flag goes up.<\/p>\n Olivier Giroud nearly gets on the end of one for Lille. Photograph: Sameer Al-Doumy\/AFP\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.42 EDT<\/p>\n 86 min If Villa can hold on here, it\u2019ll do wonders for their confidence \u2013 and things don\u2019t get calmer because they go to Old Trafford at the weekend, then have the return, but excuse me while I interrupt myself!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.35 EDT<\/p>\n 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<\/a> clear.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 83 min Two more Villa changes, Maatsen and Bailey for Sancho and Buendia; Lille<\/a> try Diaoune for Haraldsson.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 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\u2019s such a simple move \u2013 Keane liked to do it with the outside of the boot, whereas this was with the inside \u2013 but so effective.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 79 min \u2026and Pau glances away then, when Perroud swerves back in, Buendia escorts it behind at cost of a shin to the mid-section from Correia.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 79 min Lille win a free-kick out on the right, deep inside the Villa half\u2026<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 77 min Double change for Villa, McGinn and Abraham for Luiz and Watkins. Emery \u2013 and, no doubt, his players \u2013 will be delighted to have the skipper back on the park.<\/p>\n How Villa have missed John McGinn. Photograph: James Marsh\/ShutterstockShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.36 EDT<\/p>\n 76 min Lille look to up it as Villa ready Abraham and McGinn; meantime, Fernandez-Paro moves infield off the left, curls low, hard \u2026 and too close to Martinez, who dives to shovel away.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.37 EDT<\/p>\n 74 min \u201cGod damn, somewhere John Toshack has just got a shiver down his spine, writes James Humphries. \u201cThat was the sort of goal that\u2019d get scored in the old John Smith\u2019s ads; and, to be clear, I am fully here for it.<\/p>\n SECOND BALL, LADS! (taps temples, chews gum furiously) SECOND BALL!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWinners!\u201d<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 72 min And here they come again, Watkins down the right, crossing \u2026 and unable to pick out Rogers. This is a way better game now, Bentaleb spraying a pass out wide seeking to put Correia away \u2026 but he went too soon and is offside.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 70 min It wasn\u2019t to be that time, but I\u2019d not be at all surprised to see a second Villa goal on the counter.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 68 min Ozer comes out and dives as Watkins looks to go around, forcing him to hurdle for if he doesn\u2019t, he\u2019s running through the keeper. That kills the chance, and the question now is whether the keeper diving in the striker\u2019s path is a penalty; on the one hand, he\u2019s put himself there in advance, so no; on the other, if Watkins falls, potentially hurting him, it\u2019s a pen. The ref gives a free-kick to Lille<\/a>, an outcome I didn\u2019t think was even possible.<\/p>\n Ollie Watkins should really have made it safe for Villa. Photograph: Peter Cziborra\/Action Images\/ReutersShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.22 EDT<\/p>\n 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!<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 66 min Double change for Lille<\/a>, Meunier and Correia for Santos and Mukau.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 65 min Bogarde wins a big challenge, finding Rogers, who moves out wide to Sancho. His cross is low and driven hard; Lille<\/a> half-clear, but the ball eventually zips into Onana\u2019s stride, and he lashes a shot that clips the very outside of the near post. Suddenly, Villa are on a buzz.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 64 min My coverage drops out, but we\u2019re back now, just in time to see Giroud scythe down Konsa and share some accordant sentiments with the ref; Lille<\/a> are feeling the pressure.<\/p>\n Share<\/a>GOAL! Lille 0-1 Aston Villa (Watkins 61)<\/p>\n 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\u2019s taken that beautifully, and it\u2019s a reward for all the futile runs he\u2019s spent the last hour making. Huge moment in the tie.<\/p>\n Ollie Watkins scores with a brilliant header! Photograph: Justin Setterfield\/Getty ImagesShare<\/a><\/p>\n Updated at\u00a015.15 EDT<\/p>\n 61 min bentaleb coaxes a ball into the box and Giroud is underneath it \u2026 but he mistimes his jump sop can only float a header that plops into Martinez\u2019s hands \u2026 then the flag goes up.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 59 min Onana slides in to intercept and the ball leathers Perroud in the coupon. He needs a moment, but he\u2019ll be fine.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 57 min Lille push Vill back but can\u2019t fid space in behind, Bouaddi wafting a ball forward that\u2019s easily cleared before Mandi slides in behind, to no one.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 56 min Onana goes down but looks to be fine; Emery will be relieved, because he can\u2019t afford to lose another midfielder. I\u2019d like to see more from this one, though \u2013 he\u2019s got the physique and feet to take the ball off the defence and drive forward, but we do\u2019t see it often enough.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 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 \u2026 straight into Martinez\u2019s gloves.<\/p>\n Share<\/a><\/p>\n 52 min Finally, Lille<\/a> make their change, Fernandez-Pardo replacing Perrin.<\/p>\n