Champions League 1/8 finals: Aston Villa beat Bruges 3-1 away, Asensio scored as a substitute to seal the victory

On March 5, in the first round of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals , the English Premier League team Aston Villa challenged the Belgian powerhouse Bruges away. After 90 minutes of fierce battle, Aston Villa scored a lightning goal from Pele, an own goal and a penalty from Asensio , and finally defeated Bruges 3-1 , taking the lead in the two-round contest .

Aston Villa showed a strong desire to attack right after the start of the game. In the 2nd minute , Mings headed the ball in the penalty area and Leon Bailey scored a goal, helping Villa get a 1-0 dream start. After that, Aston Villa continued to put pressure on the opponent. In the 9th minute, Bailey sent a through ball , but Rashford 's shot from a small angle was bravely saved by Bruges goalkeeper Mignolet .

Bruges responded quickly. In the 12th minute , Zolis assisted Dirk Iper to score, Bruges tied the score 1-1 , and the game returned to the same starting line. After that, the two teams continued to look for opportunities to score in the transition between offense and defense. In the 30th minute , Bruges created a threat through a cross from the wing, but Talebi's shot was saved by Villa goalkeeper Martin , missing the chance to overtake.

After the break, Aston Villa gradually took control of the game and continued to put pressure on Bruges' defense. In the 67th minute , Asensio's shot was saved by Mignolet, and Cash 's follow-up shot went over the crossbar, and Villa missed another good chance to take the lead.

However, Bruges' defense failed to hold out until the end. In the 81st minute , Aston Villa 's Morgan Rogers made a cross that caused Bruges defender Mechele to score an own goal, and Villa took the lead again 2-1 . In the 88th minute , Cash created a penalty in the penalty area, and Asensio, who came on as a substitute, scored steadily, and finally locked the score at 3-1 .

With this 3-1 victory, Aston Villa took a crucial two-goal lead away from home. In the second round, they will return to their home ground to face Bruges and strive to advance to the quarterfinals of the Champions League. If Bruges wants to reverse the situation, they need to win by at least two goals away from home, which is a huge challenge.