Aston Villa 2-0 LOSC Lille (3-0 agg)

Aston Villa progressed to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Europa League courtesy of a 2-0 second leg victory over LOSC Lille, sealing a 3-0 aggregate success.

Captain John McGinn’s low strike in the 54^th minute opened the scoring at Villa Park, converting Jadon Sancho’s ball across the box having been sent clear by a superb throughball from Emi Martínez, who quickly set the hosts on the counter-attack after saving well from Nabil Bentaleb’s fierce free-kick.

McGinn’s goal was his ninth for Villa in major European competition, equalling Peter Withe’s club record.

Sancho struck a post in the second half before substitute Leon Bailey, 99 seconds after stepping off the bench, registered his maiden Villa goal of the season late on to settle the Round of 16 tie.

Coupled with a 1-0 triumph in last week’s first leg, it ensured Unai Emery’s side have now reached a European quarter-final for a third successive season in three different competitions.

The Villans’ seventh consecutive Europa League victory sets up a meeting with Bologna in the last eight next month.

Emery made six changes to his starting XI from Sunday’s Premier League defeat at Manchester United, Sancho, Victor Lindelöf, Pau Torres, Ian Maatsen, Douglas Luiz and Tammy Abraham all named in the Spaniard’s starting XI.

Villa supporters celebrated the achievements of Emery, who recorded his 100th victory for the club with last week’s success in northern France, during another memorable pre-match display.

As both sides entered the pitch under the lights, fans held up special claret and blue cards around all four stands at Villa Park, with the Holte End proudly displaying ‘Emery 100’ in recognition of his remarkable century.

The hosts dominated possession in the opening quarter but neither side was able to fashion a clear-cut opportunity.

Ayyoub Bouaddi headed over from six yards when well placed, while Villa pressed and probed in search of an opening at the other end.

And the breakthrough almost came in the 42^nd minute as Amadou Onana’s header from McGinn’s inswinging corner was well parried by goalkeeper Berke Ozer, with Sancho’s attempt to connect with the rebound thwarted by a last-ditch interception.

With the encounter finely poised at the start of the second half, Martínez provided two moments of magic to strengthen Villa’s advantage in the tie.

First, he got down quickly to superbly save Bentaleb’s fizzing 25-yard free-kick before turning defence into attack in the blink of an eye.

The ‘keeper raced to the edge of his box and delivered a perfect long ball into the path of Sancho in the Lille half, he surged forward and squared for McGinn to slot home and put Villa ahead on the night.

Sub Ollie Watkins, whose goal proved the difference in the first meeting, saw his low effort deflected narrowly wide in the 63^rd minute, before the lively Sancho sent a strike against the near post as Villa pushed for further reward.

Fit-again Matty Cash was introduced as Villa looked to control the tie, Martínez saving well from Lille sub Noah Edjouma.

And it was left for Bailey to add Villa’s second in the 85^th minute as he slotted home a square pass from an unselfish Watkins – sealing Villa’s spot in the quarter-finals of the Europa League.