VILLA SUFFER FIRST UCL LOSS AFTER MINGS’ PENALTY WOE
Aston Villa’s perfect start to the UEFA Champions League came to a farcical end as a bizarre penalty saw Unai Emery’s side slump to a 1-0 defeat at Club Brugge.
Tyrone Mings was the villain of the piece, marking his debut in the competition with the concession of a second-half spot kick that was duly converted by Hans Vanaken.
Mings bent down and handled Emiliano Martinez’s 52nd-minute goal kick, leaving the referee to penalise the defender for a poor lapse in concentration.
Brugge, who will rise out of the bottom 12 after just a fourth home win in their last 22 matches in the Champions League, had the best moments in the first half with Ferran Jutglà hitting the post on the half hour mark.
Villa went close through Ollie Watkins but could have suffered defeat by a greater margin had it not been for some fine goalkeeping from Martinez and profligate finishing from the hosts.
The result means Villa miss the chance to join Liverpool at the top of the standings and are now three points adrift of the Merseysiders, who they meet in the Premier League on Saturday night at Anfield.