Lille loses against a more pragmatic Aston Villa in the quarter-final first leg

Paulo Fonseca’s men were punished twice from set pieces at Villa Park (Birmingham) on Thursday.

France Télévisions – Sports Editorial

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Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins scores the first goal of the match against Lille, April 11, 2024. (JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP)

By unleashing an angry header, which finally deceived the Argentinian goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, Bafodé Diakité scored the goal of hope (84th). The Lille defender brought the score back from a corner to a gap more in line with the nature of the match. Son Losc lost (2-1) on the lawn of Aston Villa, Thursday April 11, in the quarter-final first leg of the Europa Conference League, but it is only a small goal behind before the return match scheduled for the 18th. april.

Paulo Fonseca’s players will have to be more vigilant on corners, a phase of play where they conceded two goals to hope to reach the last four. Vilans striker Ollie Watkins, judiciously demarcated thanks to a block from Konsa on Ismaily, first deceived Lucas Chevalier with a diving header (13th). Shortly before the hour mark, its captain John Mcginn, found behind after a two-man corner, doubled the lead with a cross strike (2-0).

Expensive paid for enterprising Lille residents. If they were able to swallow up the spaces behind the English defense to string together clear chances, the foot, the head of a defender, or even the imposing Vilans goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez, annihilated their attempts for a long time. The VAR even canceled Gabriel Gudmundsson’s goal for offside, who finally thought he could reduce the score (63rd). But destiny had reserved the costume of hero of the evening for another defender: Diakité and his liberating intervention, thanks to whom everything is still possible for the Mastiffs.


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