Aston Villa will be favourites to progress to the Champions League quarter-finals after scoring two late goals to beat Club Brugge in Belgium.
Leon Bailey had given the Premier League club a lightning start in the last-16 first-leg tie – Villa’s first knockout tie in European football’s premier competition since the 1982-83 quarter-finals.
Bailey marked his return to Belgium with a goal as the former Genk player produced a sumptuous half-volley after just two minutes and 15 seconds, following a headed assist by Tyrone Mings.
It was a satisfying moment for Mings after the England defender gave away a needless penalty for handball when these sides met in the group phase in November, which resulted in Club Brugge scoring the only goal of the game.
But Villa’s lead lasted just 10 minutes, with Maxim de Cuyper levelling with a low finish, soon after Marcus Rashford had been denied by former Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet at the other end.
In a tight and tense contest, home captain Hans Vanaken went agonisingly close to making it 2-1 in the 69th minute with a header before ex-Norwich player Christos Tzolis wasted another big chance, blazing over from eight yards.
However, Villa scored two goals in six minutes to take a handsome lead back to Birmingham
Brandon Mechele put past his own keeper in the 82nd-minute while stretching to intercept a cross by Morgan Rogers to put Villa ahead and then substitute Marco Asensio made it 3-1 from the penalty spot after Matty Cash had been fouled.
The return leg is at Villa Park on Wednesday, 12 March (20:00 GMT).
