Aston Villa strengthened their Champions League top-eight hopes as they thrice took the lead to eventually win 3-2 against RB Leipzig, with super-subs Jhon Duran and Ross Barkley both making the difference with goals from the bench.
Much to Unai Emery's delight, it took less than three minutes for his side to take the lead when a crisp attacking move culminated in Matty Cash's back-post cross being headed into the middle of the box by Ollie Watkins, where John McGinn had raced away from his marker and side-footed into the near corner without having to break his stride.
All of Villa's encouraging work was undone with a major mistake just before the half-hour mark when a long ball forward should have been comfortably dealt with by Diego Carlos and Emi Martinez, but a lapse in communication between the pair allowed for Lois Openda to steal the ball before slotting into the empty net, a huge gift to hand the hosts the equaliser.
A half-time substitution saw Watkins make way for Duran, and this season's newly established super sub wasted no time making an impact when his long-range effort curled and dipped over Peter Gulacsi, whose positioning was albeit questionable, handing Villa the lead just six minutes after the restart.
The following minutes hosted a flurry of action as Duran thought he had doubled his tally and Villa's lead, only for VAR to disallow the goal for an offside against Cash, and shortly after, another Leipzig long ball sent Openda in behind the defence, with the striker crossing to the back post for Christoph Baumgartner to stunningly volley into the top left corner, bringing the hosts level once again.
Emery's men took the lead for the third time with five minutes remaining when a loose ball fell kindly at Barkley's feet just outside the area, and the midfielder's strike took a huge deflection to send the ball bouncing into the far corner as Gulacsi had already committed to a dive for the initial strike, a heartbreaking moment for Leipzig.
The result sees the Villans rise to third in the league phase table with 13 points from six games, while Leipzig's elimination is confirmed as they remain without any points with just two fixtures remaining, meaning they are unable to catch 24th-placed Paris Saint-Germain, who have seven points.
RB LEIPZIG VS. ASTON VILLA HIGHLIGHTS
John McGinn goal vs. RB Leipzig (3rd min, RB Leipzig 0-1 Aston Villa)
The perfect start for Villa 🤩
— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) December 10, 2024
John McGinn keeps his composure and fires the visitors to an early lead! 🎯#UCLonPrime pic.twitter.com/XJNJkEg9il
McGinn has given Villa an early lead, superb team goal!
A slow build-up eventually sees Aston Villa progress to just outside the Leipzig box, with Morgan Rogers doing well to keep possession before Youri Tielemans spreads the ball wide to Cash.
Cash dummies to go left and right before cutting onto his left foot and sending a cross towards the back post, where Watkins backpedals and brilliantly heads it back into the middle of the box for the open McGinn to side-foot into the near corner.
Lois Openda goal vs. Aston Villa (27th min, RB Leipzig 1-1 Aston Villa)
© Imago
Openda has levelled out of nowhere for Leipzig, what a gift that is from the visitors!
Nicolas Seiwald plays a long ball forward, and it looks as though Villa will comfortably deal with it with several defenders in the area, but a major lapse in communication between Martinez and Carlos allows Openda to sneak in.
The striker takes a fantastic first touch to steal possession, getting away from both the goalkeeper and the defence, and calmly taps into the empty net, pulling the hosts level from out of nowhere.
Jhon Duran goal vs. RB Leipzig (52nd min, RB Leipzig 1-2 Aston Villa)
Jhon Durán that is OUTRAGEOUS 🤯
— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) December 10, 2024
Villa are back in front at the Red Bull Arena 👏#UCLonPrime pic.twitter.com/qTyp3iWhML
Duran from distance puts Villa back in the lead!
Another crisp counter-attacking move sees the visitors popping the ball around the middle of the park before Duran grabs hold of the ball just inside the Leipzig half and drives towards goal.
Duran lines up a strike from distance, and his curling effort dips over Gulacsi and into the back of the net, a mistake from the goalkeeper with his positioning but Villa will not care.
Christoph Baumgartner goal vs. Aston Villa (62nd min, RB Leipzig 2-2 Aston Villa)
WHAT A TURNAROUND! 😱
— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) December 10, 2024
Out of nowhere Leipzig are level against Villa after THIS volley from Christoph Baumgartner ⚽#UCLonPrime pic.twitter.com/8SdBro9riX
That is sensational from Leipzig and Baumgartner!
Aston Villa are once again pulled apart by a searching long ball, this time with Benjamin Henrichs finding Openda behind the defence, but the striker is forced to look for a passing option as the defenders quickly recover and get back into position.
The Belgian picks out Baumgartner at the back post with a lifted cross, and the winger stunningly loops his volley into the far top-left corner, wonderfully levelling the score for the hosts.
Ross Barkley goal vs. RB Leipzig (85th min, RB Leipzig 2-3 Aston Villa)
ROSS BARKLEY FROM DISTANCE 🤯
— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) December 10, 2024
Minutes after coming on the Englishman grabs a late lead for Villa 👀#UCLonPrime pic.twitter.com/3H7tboZITL
Barkley gives Villa a late lead thanks to a huge deflection!
The visitors look to have lost the ball just outside the box, but a loose ball from Leipzig's challenge lands perfectly at the feet of Barkley, who needs no second invitation to shoot.
The midfielder curls his effort towards the near post, but a heavy deflection redirects the ball into the far corner, completely wrong-footing Gulacsi, who had already dived for the initial strike, putting Villa back into the lead once again.
MAN OF THE MATCH - LOIS OPENDA
© Imago
Despite being on the losing side, Openda was undoubtedly the best player on the pitch this evening, playing a major hand in both of Leipzig's goals with one goal and one assist.
The striker was a constant nuisance for the Villa defenders, often being found in behind the defensive line with long, searching passes, while he was also a creative force, making three key passes and creating one big chance.
Duran also deserves mention for his second-half performance, scoring one and being denied another due to a tight offside decision, while his overall play in the build-up was key in almost every Villa attack.
RB LEIPZIG VS. ASTON VILLA MATCH STATS
Possession: RB Leipzig 47%-53% Aston Villa
Shots: RB Leipzig 17-19 Aston Villa
Shots on target: RB Leipzig 6-8 Aston Villa
Corners: RB Leipzig 5-7 Aston Villa
Fouls: RB Leipzig 12-7 Aston Villa
BEST STATS
3 - John McGinn is only the second player to score in the opening three minutes of a major European competition for Aston Villa, after Peter Withe, who did so twice in the UEFA Cup v Vitória Guimarães in September 1983 and Spartak Moscow in November 1983. Lightning. pic.twitter.com/lxMrpAfLj5
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 10, 2024
6 - Jhon Durán has scored six goals after coming on as a substitute in all competitions for Aston Villa this season - the most by any player for clubs in Europe's big-five leagues in 2024-25. Super. pic.twitter.com/hPseCcju8A
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) December 10, 2024
Morgan Rogers game by numbers vs. RB Leipzig:
— Squawka Live (@Squawka_Live) December 10, 2024
10 touches in opp. box
9 duels won
6 successful take-ons
6x possession won
3 shots
2 chances created
2 fouls won
Balling in the Champions League. 🤩#UCL pic.twitter.com/sijffxewmz
WHAT NEXT?
Defeat for Leipzig means they crash out of the Champions League from the league phase, with them still yet to get a point on the board, and their attention will now turn back to the Bundesliga as they face high-flying Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday.
Villa's victory sees them move into one of the coveted top-eight positions, and they will aim to secure their instant progression to the last 16 in their final two Champions League matches against AS Monaco and Celtic in the new year.
Ellis Stevens
