Aston Villa have taken a big step towards the Champions League quarter-finals after running out 3-1 winners over Club Brugge in their last-16 first leg in Belgium.
The Villans opened the scoring in the third minute through Leon Bailey, who fired into the far corner after Tyrone Mings headed a free kick back across goal.
However, Brugge equalised in the 12th minute through Maxim De Cuyper after some poor defending from Aston Villa.
The game remained at 1-1 until the 84th minute, when Brugge defender Brandon Mechele diverted a Morgan Rogers delivery into his own net.
Then, two minutes later, Matty Cash won a penalty that Marco Asensio converted for his fifth goal in claret and blue.
Despite the efforts of the goalscorers, Villa fans were especially pleased with a player who delivered a huge contribution at the other end of the pitch.
Aston Villa fans hail Tyrone Mings ‘redemption arc’ against Club Brugge
Tyrone Mings will have been especially eager to impress against Club Brugge after his error in the Champions League group-stage game between the two teams.
In November’s match at the Jan Breydel Stadium, Mings was penalised for picking up Emiliano Martinez’s goal-kick in the box.
The Villa defender gifted Brugge a penalty which led to a 1-0 win for the hosts and Villa’s first European defeat of the campaign.
However, Mings made amends in their latest clash with a solid display which included a role in Villa’s opener and a heroic goalline clearance.
Villa fans lauded Mings for his “redemption arc” against Brugge, with one fan saying on X: “Is that the perfect redemption arc for Mings?”
Another wrote: “Tyrone Mings redemption arc, you love to see it!! After the last game against Brugge, we deserve this!!”
The praise kept coming, with one fan saying: “So far Mings MOTM a real redemption performance tonight after what happened here earlier in the season.”
Another wrote: “Mings the man of the match there, absolutely ridiculous block, and was really good defensively, redemption there.”
Another put: “Thank you Mings, without that clearance we lose that game. What a redemption game for him.”
How Tyrone Mings fared for Aston Villa against Club Brugge
Mings delivered a strong display for Villa against Brugge, winning all of his duels and chipping in with an impressive seven clearances, plus one tackle.
| Clearances | 7 |
| Total tackles | 1 |
| Dribbled past | 0 |
| Ground duels (won) | 1 (1) |
| Aerial duels (won) | 2 (2) |
| Touches | 72 |
| Accurate passes | 54/64 (84%) |
Mings also made seven passes into the final third and made two recoveries in the match.
It was a great day at the office for Mings, whose efforts have helped Villa take a big step towards the last eight of the Champions League.
Villa are next in action on Saturday when they head to Brentford in the Premier League, before hosting Brugge for their last-16 second leg next Wednesday.
