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Aston Villa Triumph in First Leg of Europa Conference League Quarter-Final

Watkins and McGinn Lead Villa to Narrow Victory over Lille

Aston Villa secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Lille in the first leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League quarter-final on Thursday night. Goals from Ollie Watkins and John McGinn gave the Villans a slender advantage heading into the second leg in France.

Watkins Strikes Early for Villa

Villa started the match brightly and took the lead in the 28th minute. Watkins found himself in space inside the Lille penalty area and fired a low shot past goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier to put the Premier League side ahead.

McGinn Doubles Villa's Lead

Villa doubled their lead just before half-time through McGinn. The Scottish midfielder collected a pass from Emi Buendía outside the box and unleashed a powerful drive into the bottom corner. Lille had chances to equalize in the second half, but Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez made some crucial saves to preserve the clean sheet.

Lille Respond with Late Goal

Lille pulled a goal back in the 78th minute through Jonathan David. The Canadian forward took advantage of a defensive lapse to score from close range. However, it proved to be a consolation as Villa held on to claim a vital first-leg victory.

Emery Celebrates Milestone as Manager

The match marked an important milestone for Villa manager Unai Emery, who oversaw his 1000th game as a manager. The Spaniard will be confident that his team can finish the job in the second leg and secure a place in the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League.

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