A night to remember, or a night to forget?

Those of a claret and blue persuasion must have walked away from Villa Park last night not knowing whether to celebrate or commiserate.

Sure, they could revel in Villa’s first qualification for the last 32 of the UEFA Cup since John Gregory’s team reached the quarter-finals in 1998.

They also witnessed a tantalising glimpse of the future in the shape of 17-year-old Nathan Delfouneso, who marked his first start with a superbly-taken goal to cap a man-of-the-match performance.

But as far as positives go, that was about it. Two behind within 20 minutes, this was a far cry from the stirring showings against Ajax and Slavia Prague as a vastly-changed Villa were made to look thoroughly second best.

More significant, however, was the surrendering of the intitiative they had worked so hard to achieve.

Having set the pace from the opening round of games, this slip-up meant Villa now find themselves level on six points with Hamburg and Ajax.

And it is the Germans who now hold the advantage after last night’s 2-0 victory in Prague. Villa, therefore, must now beat Martin Jol’s side on December 17 as well as outscore their Dutch rivals (should they win too), who face Slavia, to finish top of Group F.

That would earn them a favourable draw against one of the third-placed sides from another group and guarantee a second leg  at Villa Park. Finishing second would ensure they play at home in the return game too, but lying in wait would be a team dropping down from the Champions League.

It makes for a thrilling climax but it is a scenario which surely could have been avoided. O’Neill was certainly bold in his selection, making eight changes to the team which drew with Fulham on Saturday. Only Ashley Young, Carlos Cuellar and Luke Young survived.

Heavyweights like Gareth Barry, Gabby Agbonlahor and Martin Laursen were left on the bench as insurance.

The Villa manager’s hope would have been that a rare chance to impress would bring the best out of Zat Knight, Isaiah Osbourne, Moustapha Salifou and Marlon Harewood.

Knight’s positioning was ragged, Salifou and Osbourne looked like they’d never met each other, offering no resistance to Zilina’s forward breaks, and Harewood’s was ineffective to put it mildly.

But their displays merely highlighted the shortcomings of this threadbare Villa squad. And should Villa, who have missed John Carew of late, be hit by further suspensions or injuries their frailties threaten to be exposed more regularly.

It is true, of course, that a weakened side delivered one of Villa’s best results of the season in Prague; that was a far stronger team,  though, including Ashley Young, Steve Sidwell, Agbonlahor, Carew and Curtis Davies.

But on the three occasions prior to last night when O’Neill has fielded a near-full fringe team – FH Hafnarfjordur, QPR and Litex Lovech – not once have Villa walked away the victors. The gamble paid off in Prague but backfired last night. But was it really necessary to rest so many regulars?

With Villa having played just once a week for the last month, perhaps not. However, with a further six games still to come this month O’Neill’s logic was understandable.

One can only hope it will strengthen his resolve to act in January – not just in the striking department where Emile Heskey remains top of his list, but in the full-back department too where he continues to use players out of position. Cover for Ashley Young  should be another priority.

Comeback

Perhaps it would have been a different story had Knight converted Ashley Young’s corner, but the defender’s downward header bounced up and was pushed over. 

Knight’s evening got even worse after 15 minutes when he looked culpable for a freak Zilina goal. Vladimir Leitner whipped in a cross from the left and the ex-Fulham man seemed to duck under the ball before it skidded off the surface and crept inside Guzan’s far post. Four minutes later the Villa defence was pulled apart again as Styvar doubled MSK’s lead.

Adauto made the initial surge forward and played in Peter Pekarik, who got in behind Luke Young before squaring for Styvar to side-foot past Guzan. It was a brilliant piece of football but the defending, or lack of it, left a lot to be desired.

The Slovaks were knocking the ball around confidently, attacking with pace and menace but Villa quickly got themselves back in the hunt just before the half hour.

It was Delfouneso’s first senior goal and he is unlikely to score too many better.

Nigel Reo-Coker floated the ball up to Harewood on the edge of the box and he chested it down for Delfouneso to crash a low left-footed volley into the corner.

Cue a comeback? Well, not exactly. As was the case against Lovech and Hafnarfjordur the atmosphere remained muted, perhaps a classic example of the fans failing to gee up the players and vice-versa.

Ashley Young did his best to take the game to Zilina – despite becoming an increasing target for cynical fouls.

The introduction of Milner and Barry soon afterwards sparked Villa into life.

Ashley Young’s free-kick into the box was controlled by Gardner, who fired on the turn only to see his effort blocked before Milner sent the rebound wide.

The chances were finally coming at last and Villa received a further boost when MSK were forced to play the final 10 minutes with 10 men. Leitner, who had earlier took out Ashley Young, went into the book for a second time for another cynical challenge on substitute Agbonlahor.

Villa were inches away from making the advantage count, first when Gardner headed against the bar and then when Agbonlahor dragged wide with a clear sight of goal. It wasn’t meant to be.

Mission accomplished, then, but in the most unaccomplished of fashions.