Boss Unai Emery admitted Aston Villa acquired fortunate after combating again to beat AZ Alkmaar.
Ollie Watkins’ winner put them on the brink of qualification in the Europa Conference League after a 2-1 house win.
Yet, the fightback began in controversial trend when Diego Carlos levelled after Boubacar Kamara had blazed over and referee Luis Godinho mistakenly awarded Villa a nook.
Vangelis Pavlidis gave the hosts a deserved lead however final yr’s semi-finalists are actually going through an early exit.
Villa are second, behind Legia Warsaw on head-to-head, and a degree from their remaining two video games will seal progress from Group E.
Emery mentioned: “It was a very good chance for Kamara, it was fantastic, but it was not a corner, it’s clear, and after this mistake we score.
“I’m very happy because when we are winning a game like tonight we can understand this competition better and the processes we’re trying to build.
“I’m very proud of our work in this competition. We’re getting better.
“We scored one that was offside more or less. We have to accept the referee’s decision, always.
“I’m very proud of our work in this competition. We’re getting better. AZ are a very good team. I’m very happy. The reaction when they scored the goal was fantastic.”
Villa began brightly and Clement Lenglet headed in Leon Bailey’s cross – after Pavlidis blocked Watkins’ goalbound header – solely for the winger to have been dominated offside.
Yet the hosts misplaced their method as the half wore on, Pavlidis tried to lob Emi Martinez and Alkmaar completed on high with Pavlidis testing Martinez.
It turned out the striker was simply getting his eye in as he opened the scoring six minutes into the second half.
Villa had been caught out by Riechedly Bazoer’s ball over the high and Pavlidis outpaced Lenglet to beat Martinez.
The hosts weren’t behind for lengthy, although, when Diego Carlos nodded in Bailey’s nook – after the officers had missed it was Kamara who blazed over from six yards.
Villa had the initiative and it was no shock when Watkins popped up with the winner with 9 minutes left, nodding in Douglas Luiz’s intelligent move.
Alkmaar boss Pascal Jensen mentioned: “The interesting thing I was looking at was can we compete better in the first game (a 4-1 loss)? In Alkmaar we lost because we conceded two easy goals.
“I was a bit shocked when we started off, we conceded an early goal and we were fortunate it was disallowed. We were very unfortunate to concede a corner which wasn’t, they scored from it and the whole stadium woke up.
“I contacted the fourth official and I asked him and he said ‘I don’t know.’ I think in international competition VAR can come on the radio and help but he didn’t. With all the technology and extra eyes it shouldn’t be possible.”
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