Alex Moreno returned from a six-month injury lay-off to score the winner as Aston Villa beat Legia Warsaw and moved above them at the top of Europa Conference League Group E. The Spanish defender was named in Unai Emery’s starting XI for the first time since suffering a hamstring injury in May, and was on hand to turn home Douglas Luiz’s pinpoint free-kick for already-qualified Villa.
Police later said they made 39 arrests as officers were “faced with disgusting and highly dangerous scenes”.
Villa had already qualified before kick-off, thanks to AZ Alkmaar’s win over Zrinjski Mostar earlier in the day, but they couldn’t find a third goal which would have sealed top spot in the group.
Despite that, the narrow victory over the Polish side means Emery’s side only need a point at Zrinjski on matchday six to progress as group winners.
Thursday’s win is Villa’s seventh in a row at home in all competitions since the Carabao Cup defeat by Everton, and they started the match at a pace that illustrated that form.
With their very first attack Diaby cut inside on his left and finished clinically, before Ollie Watkins’ replacement Jhon Duran saw a couple of efforts thwarted by Legia goalkeeper Kacper Tobiasz. Muci then levelled for the visitors with a sublime curled effort following Kamara’s rushed pass from the edge of the box, which appeared to take the sting out of the hosts.
Emery’s team had to win by two clear goals to guarantee top spot on the night, and the pace at which they approached the second half was indicative of that knowledge.
Legia defender Gil Dias struck the bar with a looping header soon after the restart, but after Moreno’s superb improvised volley at the back post edged Villa ahead, it was the home side who dominated proceedings.
Substitute Leon Bailey thought he had got the all-important third goal when he lofted the ball over Tobiasz in the dying moments, but the ball rebounded off the underside of the bar and the goalline before spinning away.
BBC
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