Aston Villa beats 10-man Ajax 4-0: Aston Villa’s captain, John McGinn, desired more significant European matches following the team’s advancement to the Europa Conference League quarter-finals, marking their first appearance at this stage of a major European competition since 1998.
Villa secured their spot by defeating Ajax 4-0, a team historically renowned in European football.
We’re aiming for greater accomplishments,” McGinn stated, highlighting the team’s ambition not to rest on their laurels after giving fans a memorable victory.
This is definitely among the top nights, and we didn’t want our European journey to end here.
Aston Villa’s victory was led by Ollie Watkins, who scored the opening goal, followed by Leon Bailey.
Ajax was then reduced to ten men after Sivert Mannsverk received two yellow cards. Additional goals from Jhon Duran and Moussa Diaby sealed the victory for Villa.
There is some concern over Watkins’ condition following an injury sustained during the match. Despite this, he contributed significantly to the win before being substituted in the 33rd minute.
The nature of his injury is still under assessment, with the team hopeful but cautious about his availability for upcoming matches.
Villa’s current standing in the Premier League is fourth, illustrating a significant improvement since Unai Emery took over as coach, succeeding Steven Gerrard.
This victory adds to the positive momentum the club has been building.
Ajax’s captain, Jordan Henderson, also reflected on the match, acknowledging the difficulties faced, especially after the team was reduced to ten players.
Despite a hopeful start, the challenges compounded, leading to their defeat. Ajax’s coach, John Van’t Schip, echoed these sentiments, pointing out the impact of critical decisions and the red card on their performance.