Aston Villa decide RB Leipzig's European fate with latest defeat
| Photo: Maja Hitij/Getty Images. |
RB Leipzig's Champions League journey came to a premature end tonight as Marco Rose's men suffered their sixth consecutive defeat in Europe's premier competition to Aston Villa. Despite dragging themselves level twice on the night, Ross Barkley's late goal gave the English club victory and decided the Saxon club's fate. While there are still two fixtures yet to play, Die Roten Bullen can no longer advance to the knockout round with all teams ranked twenty-fifth or higher on 7 points or greater in the current standings.
As has been the case in Europe all campaign, Leipzig made the worst start imaginable as Aston Villa constructed a lead inside 3 minutes. Some quick feet from Morgan Rogers allowed Matty Cash to cross to the back post. Ollie Watkins' deft flick into the path of John McGinn made for a simple tap-in. Marco Rose's men struggled but received a bit of kind fortune on 27 minutes from which they equalised. Emi Martinez hesitated beneath Seiwald's long ball, which gave Loïs Openda time to round the stranded shot-stopper and slot into an empty net.
Unai Emery's decision to introduce Jhon Duran after the break proved to be a masterstroke. The Colombian worked a couple of nice passes with Rogers and Tielesmans before taking on Orbán and eyeing up the target. His strike from 30 yards dipped just beneath the crossbar with Gulacsi marginally off his line. Duran looked to bag his brace before the hour when he turned home a Matty Cash cross, however the Polish international was in an offside position.
Amazingly, Leipzig responded in another rare foray upfield as Openda found Baumgartner in space to cushion a beautiful, in-step volley inside the left post. Gulacsi kept Lucas Digne at bay entering the last 20 minutes, while a lapse in concentration from Pau Torres gave the visitors a scare when Openda intercepted but released a rather tame shot. Yet lady luck would restore Villa's lead when Ross Barkley's strike deflected off Klostermann and wrong-footed Gulacsi.
