Aston Villa replicated their iconic 1982 European Cup final victory over Bayern Munich with a stunning 1-0 win on Wednesday, courtesy of Jhon Duran’s late goal.
The Colombian striker caught Manuel Neuer off his line with just 11 minutes remaining, securing a second consecutive win for Villa in their first Champions League campaign in 41 years.
Bayern arrived at Villa Park unbeaten and in formidable scoring form under Vincent Kompany’s management.
However, they were thwarted by Unai Emery’s tactical approach. Duran capitalized on a long pass from Pau Torres, launching a shot over Neuer from distance.
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Among the more than 40,000 Villa supporters was Prince William, who witnessed the team’s impressive display despite the significant gap in Champions League experience between the two clubs.
Just five years prior, Villa was struggling in the second tier of English football, but their trajectory has soared since Emery took charge less than two years ago.
After a comfortable 3-0 win over Young Boys in Switzerland two weeks earlier, the clash against the six-time European champions was a highly anticipated fixture for Villa fans, and it lived up to the hype.
Harry Kane returned from an ankle injury sustained in Bayern’s recent 1-1 draw with Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen.
The Bavarians had averaged over four goals per game in their opening seven matches under Kompany, including a remarkable 9-2 win against Dinamo Zagreb in their Champions League opener.
Although Bayern dominated possession early on, their best chance came from a header by Kane, which was well saved by Emi Martinez but ruled out for offside.
Villa thought they had scored midway through the first half when Torres tapped in from a free-kick, but Jacob Ramsey had been offside in the buildup, cutting short their celebrations.
Michael Olise, another key player for Bayern returning to England, was denied a goal just before halftime by an incredible save from Martinez.
In a surprising move, Kompany left Jamal Musiala on the bench, but the German international was introduced at halftime to make an impact.
Musiala nearly broke through Villa’s defense on the hour mark, but his shot was blocked by Torres.
Instead, it was Villa’s own super sub who clinched the victory. Duran, who has scored five of his six goals this season as a substitute, demonstrated his strength by holding off Dayot Upamecano and lifting the ball over the stranded Neuer.
However, Villa needed crucial saves from their goalkeeper to secure the historic win. Musiala’s pass opened up Villa’s defense for Serge Gnabry, but he failed to beat Martinez.
The Argentine then made an even more impressive save deep into stoppage time, turning Upamecano’s header away to seal the victory.
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