Aston Villa Earn 14th Win in 16 Matches as Tielemans Seals Victory at Basel
In a game that was expected to be a routine win for Aston Villa, they managed to pull off a classy victory against Basel to keep their European hopes alive. The win marked a fifth success from six matches and sent the Villans third on 15 points in Group C.
Unai Emery's side started sluggishly, but after Evann Guessand scored a goal just before halftime, the momentum shifted in Villa's favor. Midfielder Youri Tielemans then produced a stunning first-time finish to level the score, and his strike sealed the win for Villa. The Belgian's classy goal was a turning point in the match, and it reflected Emery's tactical switch at halftime.
Emery had introduced Tielemans midway through the first half in an attempt to inject some life into Villa's underwhelming performance. However, it was not until after Tielemans' strike that the team began to click into gear. The substitute's goal sparked a series of attacks on Basel's goal, with Villa eventually running out 2-1 winners.
Emery acknowledged that rotating his squad had created opportunities for players like Guessand and Tielemans to shine. He also expressed his side's determination to reach the last 16 in March. "The Europa League is very important for us," he said. "We can't stop, and we are motivated and focused."
With Villa just five points behind Lyon and Red Star Belgrade, Emery knows that his team must be consistent if they want to make it to Europe's elite competition.
Villa manager Unai Emery praised Tielemans' performance after the match. The Belgian midfielder played a crucial role in securing the win for his side with an excellent strike before half-time and a classy first-time finish just 8 minutes into the second-half.
In a game that was expected to be a routine win for Aston Villa, they managed to pull off a classy victory against Basel to keep their European hopes alive. The win marked a fifth success from six matches and sent the Villans third on 15 points in Group C.
Unai Emery's side started sluggishly, but after Evann Guessand scored a goal just before halftime, the momentum shifted in Villa's favor. Midfielder Youri Tielemans then produced a stunning first-time finish to level the score, and his strike sealed the win for Villa. The Belgian's classy goal was a turning point in the match, and it reflected Emery's tactical switch at halftime.
Emery had introduced Tielemans midway through the first half in an attempt to inject some life into Villa's underwhelming performance. However, it was not until after Tielemans' strike that the team began to click into gear. The substitute's goal sparked a series of attacks on Basel's goal, with Villa eventually running out 2-1 winners.
Emery acknowledged that rotating his squad had created opportunities for players like Guessand and Tielemans to shine. He also expressed his side's determination to reach the last 16 in March. "The Europa League is very important for us," he said. "We can't stop, and we are motivated and focused."
With Villa just five points behind Lyon and Red Star Belgrade, Emery knows that his team must be consistent if they want to make it to Europe's elite competition.
Villa manager Unai Emery praised Tielemans' performance after the match. The Belgian midfielder played a crucial role in securing the win for his side with an excellent strike before half-time and a classy first-time finish just 8 minutes into the second-half.
, i think aston villa is doing pretty cool! they keep pushing for that last 16 spot and it's great to see tielemans step up with some sick goals 
. emery's tactical switch at halftime was pure genius, and it's awesome that guessand got a chance to shine after being introduced mid-game 
. villa's squad rotation is definitely paying off, and now they just gotta keep the momentum going 
️. can't wait to see what they do next in march 
come on villa, keep it up! 
14 wins out of 16 is insane! Tielemans is a total game-changer mid, his goal was so sweet 
. Emery's tactics are finally paying off, rotating the squad is giving young players like Guessand some serious screen time 
. We're not looking at an early exit just yet 
, this team's got fire 
It's like they finally found their rhythm after that shaky start. Unai Emery made some great subs and got those guys to gel, especially Tielemans! 
That guy is a genius on the pitch. 2-1 win is always a bonus, but I'm more hyped about how Villa managed to keep their momentum going. They're not out of it yet, so fingers crossed for them! 
. Emery's tactic of rotating his squad is just a fancy way of saying "we can't do anything well consistently". And now we're 5 points behind Lyon? Yeah, good luck with that... 
like they always do! I mean, who needs excitement when you can watch Evann Guessand score a goal just before halftime, right? 
It's not like the game was expected to be a nail-biter or anything... 2-1 winners, yawn. Tielemans is definitely the hero of the match with that stunning first-time finish 
Unai Emery must be so proud of his tactical switch at halftime... aka playing a sub and hoping for the best 
. Can't wait to see what other thrilling matches Villa has up their sleeve 
.
... it just goes to show that even when things aren't going well, a little bit of change can make all the difference 
... Villa's determination is really inspiring 
. The way Emery brought him on at halftime and then gave him space to create something was pure genius 
. Villa fans are so lucky to have a manager who knows how to make his team click 