Aston Villa 2-1 AZ Alkmaar: Ollie Watkins header sees Unai Emery’s side recover to beat Dutch outfit

Aston Villa came from a goal down to beat AZ Alkmaar 2-1 at Villa Park and put one foot in the knockout stages of the UEFA Europa Conference League.

The visitors were significantly improved from the previous meeting between the sides, and took the lead early in the second half when the excellent Vangelis Pavlidis punished Villa on the break.

Both teams had goals disallowed in the first half, and AZ were again left frustrated when the home side equalised from a corner that should not have been given.

It was Diego Carlos’ header that gave Unai Emery’s side a route back into the game, and the Premier League outfit were the better side for much of the remainder of the game.

And the winning moment was a moment of quality, with Ollie Watkins heading substitute Douglas Luiz’s sublime chipped through-ball home to send Villa onto nine points in Group E.

It was a scratchy performance from Aston Villa at times on the night, with the four changes to the starting XI having a bit of an impact on the flowing football Unai Emery’s side have played of late.

A better side might have picked off Villa’s high line more often than AZ were able to on the night, and Villa were fortunate to score from a corner that shouldn’t have been awarded.

But the win is what Villa needed and they can now relax a little. One more point from the final two matches would secure qualification to at least the knockout play-off round.

The skipper on the night was everywhere for Villa, keeping the intensity levels high during a match that could have slipped out of the hosts’ control.

McGinn’s quality is so consistent that it often goes unnoticed, but he was the pick of a number of impressive performers for Villa.

Aston Villa: Martinez 7; Konsa 6, Carlos 7, Lenglet 7, Digne 8; McGinn 8, Kamara 6, Tielemans 6, Bailey 8; Diaby 6; Watkins 8. Subs: Luiz 8, Cash 7, Zaniolo 7, Torres 6, Traore 6

AZ Alkmaar: Ryan 5; Sugawara 7, Bazoer 7, Martins Indi 7, Moller Wolfe 6; Clasie 7, De Wit 7, Nijnans 7; Sadiq 6, Pavlidis 8, Van Bommel 6. Subs: Poku 6, Odgaard 6, Dantas 6, Mihailovic 6

Aston Villa think they take an early lead. They very nearly score at the back post through Watkins, but Alkmaar switch off for the next phase and Clement Lenglet is left completely unmarked to head home. But VAR has spotted that Leon Bailey is arguably in an offside position and the goal is chalked off.

That’s a really class move from AZ Alkmaar, who cut open Villa with a one-touch move and Pavlidis finishes it off. But the flag is up for an offside in the build-up and it’s chalked off.

It was coming and AZ Alkmaar have the lead. It’s that man Pavlidis, who has looked a threat all night and finally finds the moment of quality required. Put clean through on the keeper, he keeps his composure and finishes beyond Martinez. 1-0!

The officials for some reason gave a corner from Kamara’s point-blank miss, which was the wrong call. And Villa take full advantage, with Diego Carlos heading home the set-piece to level the scoring.

It’s OIlie Watkins and Villa are ahead. The striker has been a peripheral figure for large parts of the evening, but he shows quality when it matters, producing a lovely headed finish on the end of a sublime dinked through-ball from Douglas Luiz. 2-1!

Ollie Watkins is into double figures for goals in all competitions this season, making it four consecutive seasons that he has done so for Villa.