Aston Villa 3 RB Salzburg 2: Teenager caps thrilling comeback

A match which probably didn’t mean all that much in the grand scheme of Villa’s season, ended in one of its best stories thanks to a thrilling comeback capped by a teenager.

Jamaldeen Jimoh-Aloba came off the bench to score his first senior goal and secure Villa a second-placed finish in the Europa League group stage, after Unai Emery’s men came back from the dead to beat RB Salzburg.

Dreadful for an hour and lucky not to be more than 2-0 down, Villa scored three times in the final 26 minutes to make it seven wins from eight in the competition. They are now guaranteed home second legs in every knockout round.

Jimoh-Aloba, making just his fifth career appearance, converted a cross from a player making only his third, Kadan Young, to complete the turnaround after Morgan Rogers and Tyrone Mings had drawn Villa level. 

Before then, Salzburg looked on course for a famous win thanks to a Victor Lindelof own goal and Moussa Yeo’s strike early in the second half.

In the end, they suffered heartbreak. Salzburg began the evening needing a minor miracle to avoid elimination but at one point looked like achieving it, before it was snatched away. 

For much of the evening, the biggest story for Villa looked like being the first half hamstring injury sustained by Ollie Watkins which forced his early exit. It still might be. At the very least, Tammy Abraham may well find himself straight in the team for Sunday’s Premier League visit of Brentford.

The biggest pre-match talking point involved the inclusion in the starting line-up of Harvey Elliott.

Making his first appearance since October, the Liverpool loanee nearly made the dream start when he was denied by visiting goalkeeper Alexander Schlager inside the opening 30 seconds.

After that he faded and the night became all about Villa’s wayward showing before the stunning second half. transformation.

Elliott was given a rousing reception when his name was announced and soon nearly gave home fans even greater reason to cheer.

Watkins picked up the ball in space 20 yards out and fired toward goal.

The shot should have been straightforward for Schlager but he could not hold it and then got lucky when, having dived forward in an attempt to claim the spilled ball, saw Elliott’s follow-up clatter against his legs and wide.

That was as exciting as things got for Villa in an attacking sense for the first 30 minutes.

Instead, the next big saves came from Emi Martinez, who parried Soumaila Diabate’s powerful strike and then denied Karim Konate on the follow-up.

It was a warning for Villa, yet they failed to heed it, even if the opening goal was a comedy of errors.

Mings took a heavy touch, Edmund Baidoo nipped in to win the ball and square for Konate. With the goal gaping it seemed he could not miss but he would have were it not for Lindelof, who with the shot creeping wide could only send it into the net as he attempted to clear. 

Things could have got worse for Villa before the break when more slack play allowed Baidoo to run through on goal, with Martinez racing out to make the save.

Emery replaced the struggling George Hemmings with Matty Cash at the break but within four minutes Salzburg had doubled their lead.

Villa defended like statues as Kerim Alajbegovic was allowed to get to the byline and send in a low cross which Yeo, introduced by the visitors at the break, despatched neatly beyond Martinez.

The impressive Sota Kitano should have made it three for the visitors but fired wide after breaking the offside trap.

That became a significant moment when, just past the hour mark, Villa finally decided to start playing.

Rogers twice exchanged passes with Emi Buendia before rolling a finish inside the near post to halve the deficit.

When Jimoh-Aloba then had a shot tipped over by Alexander Schlager moments after coming on, Villa Park was suddenly alive again.

Elliott blazed over as Villa continued to ramp up the pressure and then, with 15 minutes remaining, the home side were level. Cash crossed from the left and Mings beat Schlager to it, heading into the empty net.

With three minutes to go Villa won it on the break. Young crossed and Jimoh-Aloba showed great composure to finish into the bottom corner.

Villa (4-2-3-1): Martinez, Bogarde, Lindelof, Mings, Digne, Hemmings (Cash HT), Onana (Konsa 65), Elliott, Buendia (Jimoh-Aloba 65), Sancho, Watkins (Rogers 34) Subs not used: Torres, Maatsen, Young, Bizot (gk), Wright (gk). 

Salzburg (4-3-3): Schlager, Trummer, Gadou, Schuster, Kratzig, Bidstrup, Kitano, Diabate, Baidoo (Onisiwo 73), Konate (Yeo HT), Alajbegovic (Bischoff 73) Subs not used: Rasmussen, Terzic, Kjaergaard, Diambou, Lainer, Lukic, Aguilar, Hamzic (gk), Zawieschitzky (gk).