Jhon Duran came off the bench to sink six-time European champions Bayern Munich as a stunning lob gave Aston Villa a famous 1-0 UEFA Champions League win at Villa Park.
The Colombian forward produced his sixth goal of the season as a substitute on 79 minutes when he bounded onto a Pau Torres through ball to lift the ball brilliantly over Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer, who raced out of his goal before trying to retreat as he realised he was stranded in no man’s land.
Torres also had the ball in the net in the first half for Unai Emery’s side, but a VAR offside saved the visitors, who enjoyed plenty of possession, but struggled to cope with the pace of the home side on the counter attack.
The Bundesliga leaders will wonder how they failed to earn at least point with Villla goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez producing several excellent stops to keep out Vincent Kompany’s men, including a last-gasp stop to halt Harry Kane’s header in stoppage time.
It means Villa reproduced the result from the greatest night in their 150-year history when a Peter Withe goal saw them defeat Bayern 1-0 in the 1982 European Cup final in Rotterdam.
After a 3-0 win at Young Boys in their opening match a fortnight ago, the Villans return to Villa Park to host Bologna on October 22, with Bayern visiting Barcelona a night later as they bid to return to winning ways following their 9-2 filleting of Dinamo Zagreb in their first group stage match.
Talking Point: Emery’s continental class allows Villa fans to dream
Unai Emery is one of the European game’s finest operators. Especially when it comes to keeping a cool head on such fraught and frantic nights.
A lot of elite coaches would have been disturbed by the amount of possession and pace Bayern enjoyed throughout the evening, but four-time UEFA Europa League winner Emery knew what he wanted from the evening and got his reward late on.
Without their injured captain John McGinn, Villa are missing drive at the heart of midfield, but they can still be mightily effective on the counter attack. With Ollie Watkins and then Duran troubling the German side throughout the evening, Villa were content to bide their time and wait.
When the big chance came, they did not waste it.
Much of their revival in recent times is down to the strategy of their unflustered Spanish head coach Emery, who joins Jose Mourinho as the only manager to defeat Bayern three times in the Champions League with three different clubs.
Player of the Match: Jhon Duran (Aston Villa)
As far as cameo appearances go, this energised little stint will take some beating. In fact, his winner will probably be discussed in and around Villa Park for years to come.
Faced with the task of replacing the excellent England forward Ollie Watkins on 69 minutes, Duran delivered a KO blow against Bayern that his namesake Roberto would have revelled in.
Player Ratings
Aston Villa: Martinez 8, Konsa 8, Carlos 7, Torres 8, Digne 7, Onana 6, Tielemans 7, Philogene 6, Rogers 7, Ramsey 6, Watkins 8 Subs: Maatsen 6, Barkley 7, Bailey 6, Duran 8
Bayern Munich: Neuer 5, Kimmich 7, Upamecano 5, Kim 6, Davies 6, Laimer 7, Pavlovic 6, Coman 6, Olise 7, Gnabry 7, Kane 7 Subs: Palhinha 6, Goretzka 6, Sane 6, Tel 6, Musiala 7
Match Highlights
7′ KANE JUST OFFSIDE WITH HEADER Emiliano Martinez forced to get down to his left to keep out the Kane header from the Kimmich cross. Decent piece of play, but the whistle confirms the offside call.
23′ VILLA GOAL IS RULED OFFSIDE Woeful defending by Bayern Munich. Ball came down with snow on it in the box. Falls to Pau Torres, who stabs the finish into the net with Kane on his line. But an earlier offside call via VAR saves the visitors. What a let-off.
37′ BRILLIANT STOP BY MARTINEZ! Stunning effort by Olise with his left foot. Plenty of swerve and dip on the effort from 22 yards, but the Villa keeper throws out a strong hand to get it over the bar.
79′ GOAL! (DURAN) ASTON VILLA 1-0 BAYERN MUNICH A fifth goal from the bench this season from Duran as he lifts the lob over Neuer, who was miles out of his goal, from the Torres through ball. Lovely finish. And the goal stands after a VAR check!
90+6′ VILLA SURVIVE BAYERN ONSLAUGHT Diego Carlos has been booked for using an arm to block a shot before Duran is also booked for an offence in the wall. Frantic scenes. Martinez then makes another splendid stop before the final whistle sounds after Kane’s header is stopped. Villa have done it! A famous 1-0 win.
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