Aston Villa make happy return to Champions League with Young Boys win
In their first-ever H2H encounter, reigning Swiss Super League champions Young Boys flew out of the traps as Emiliano Martínez expertly kept out Filip Ugrinic’s free-kick and Ebrima Colley’s close-range strike within the opening 12 minutes.
The latter then sent a fierce dipping effort millimetres over the top of the FIFA World Cup-winning keeper’s crossbar not long after.
However, firmly against the run of play, Villa broke the deadlock in the 27th minute as another trademark training ground move from set-piece coach Austin Macphee’s playbook saw Youri Tielemans sublimely steer John McGinn’s delivery into the far corner of the net.
On the back of netting their first-ever goal in the UCL, Ollie Watkins spurned a glorious chance to extend the visitors’ lead as he frustratingly fired his effort the wrong side of the post.
Moments after Jacob Ramsey had shot straight at David von Ballmoos, the attacker fortuitously ended up with his name on the scoresheet.
Mohamed Ali Camara’s unnecessary back pass to his keeper inside the six-yard box saw the Young Boys’ shot-stopper bring down Watkins, allowing Ramsey to fire home into an empty net.
Things almost got even better for Unai Emery’s side five minutes later, with Watkins striking his half-volley beyond Von Ballmoos, however, VAR came to Young Boys’ rescue, advising referee Georgi Kabakov to overturn his initial decision for a seemingly harsh handball.
On course for their maiden European success over Swiss opponents on foreign soil (D1, L1), Villa were the first to threaten after the restart with the scorer of the game’s opening goal, Tielemans, calling Von Ballmoos into a smart save.
YB’s captain again was forced to keep his side in the game with another stop not long after, tipping Ramsey’s effort over the bar.
Villa had another disallowed goal with 10 minutes to play as substitute Jhon Durán’s over-exuberant goal celebrations were prematurely cut short following a handball from Amadou Onana.
Nonetheless, the visitors indeed got their third of the evening with the latter finding the back of the net with a sublime strike that nestled nicely into the bottom corner.
Three goals and three points mark the perfect start for Villa in their UCL debut, with Emery's men playing three Premier League matches before recommencing their European campaign with a repeat of the 1982 final against Bayern Munich – the first H2H since that unforgettable night in Rotterdam.
Meanwhile, defeat means Young Boys have only ever overcome English opposition on one occasion in the competition (D1, L5).
Flashscore Man of the Match: Jacob Ramsey (Aston Villa)
