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Lille vs Aston Villa LIVE: Europa Conference League result and reaction after Villa win on penalties

The Europa Conference League quarter-final is still up for grabs after a tight first-leg last week

Chris Wilson
Thursday 18 April 2024 21:10 BST
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Emiliano Martinez was the unsurprising star of a dramatic penalty shootout as Aston Villa edged past Lille and into the semi-final of the Europa Conference League.

The Argentina goalkeeper, who helped his country win the World Cup 18 months ago, produced some similar heroics in France, saving spot-kicks from Nabil Bentaleb and Benjamin Andre to earn a 4-3 shootout win after the quarter-final had ended 3-3 on aggregate after two legs.

There was plenty of his trademark dark arts on show as he shushed the baiting French crowd, who had not forgotten what happened in Qatar, and then caused confusion by receiving a yellow card from the referee in the middle of the shootout, having already been booked in normal time.

But bookings are not carried forward into the shootout meaning he could stay on and send Villa into a first European semi-final since 1982. Follow all the reaction below plus get the latest odds and tips right here:

HALF-TIME! Lille 1-0 Aston Villa

A huge second half for Aston Villa in their bid to win a second major European trophy.

They’ve played poorly so far in truth, but they’ll have plenty of time to rectify it, and they’ll know that they can cause problems in this Lille defence.

For the home side, fans will want more of the same, plus a little bit more attacking threat. Their goal was very well worked, but there’s been little to no real attacking since.

Chris Wilson18 April 2024 18:49

(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)
Chris Wilson18 April 2024 18:43

HALF-TIME! Lille 1-0 Aston Villa

HALF-TIME! The home side go into the break 1-0 up on the night, with the tie level at 2-2. Work to do for Villa, who have been poor by their standards.

Chris Wilson18 April 2024 18:37

Lille 1-0 Aston Villa

48 mins: Digne tries to attack but his only option is to fire it in to Rogers, who is easily dispossessed. That sums up Villa’s half, really.

Digne plays the long throw-in and it falls to Luiz, whose half-volley flies over, but the whistle had already gone for a foul.

Chris Wilson18 April 2024 18:35

Lille 1-0 Aston Villa

46 mins: Yazici brings down Digne, who had intercepted well down the left, and Villa have possession again, but they can’t create anything.

Chris Wilson18 April 2024 18:33

Lille 1-0 Aston Villa

45 mins: There’ll be four minutes of aded time.

Chris Wilson18 April 2024 18:31

Lille 1-0 Aston Villa

44 mins: There was a little disagreement between Emery and fonseca, and now both managers have been booked!

Luiz takes the free-kick but it runs straight to Chevalier. Will that count as a shot maybe?

Chris Wilson18 April 2024 18:30

Lille 1-0 Aston Villa

42 mins: Rogers slips through a lovely pass to the overlapping Cash, and it finds him in the box, but his shot is saved by the onrushing Chevalier. The flag goes up though, so STILL no shots for Villa.

Now Andre is booked for dragging Watkins back. That’s both of Lille’s defensive midfielders on a yellow now.

Chris Wilson18 April 2024 18:30

Lille 1-0 Aston Villa

41 mins: Bentaleb is the latest to be booked after dragging down Tielemans as Villa looked to counter. Quite an early booking for the ex-Spurs man.

Chris Wilson18 April 2024 18:28

Lille 1-0 Aston Villa

40 mins: Santos swings in a half-shot, half-cross and Cash heads it away. Lille’s turn for some sustained possession now – the home side look more dangerous when they do attack.

Chris Wilson18 April 2024 18:27

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